Baccarat rules are quite different from familiar card-based games like blackjack. You aren’t playing against other players or a dealer. Instead, you’re backing one of two horses called Player and Dealer. A typical round goes like this. Without seeing any cards, the player puts their money on one of the aforementioned positions. It’s also possible to bet on a tie. Any number of players can bet at the same time.
Once the bets are in, the dealer then deals out two hands of two cards from an eight-deck shoe and places them in the Player and Banker positions on the dealer. The cards are revealed and their values are calculated. Tens and face cards score zero, aces score 1 and all other cards score face value. The hand that’s closer to 9 is the highest hand.
If either Player or Banker scores 8 or 9 in the first two cards dealt, it’s a natural win and the game comes to an end. Otherwise it continues as follows: If Player scores 0-5, then Player draws an extra card, otherwise Player stands on 6-7. Once Player is done, Banker draws on 0-5 or stands on 6-7.
Further play is dictated by Player’s third card.
If it’s 9, 10, face-card or Ace, Banker draws on 0-3 and stands on 4-7.
If it’s 8, Banker draws on 0-2 and stands on 3-7.
If it’s 6 or 7, Banker draws on 0-6 and stands on 7.
If it’s 4 or 5, Banker draws on 0-5 and stands on 6-7.
If it’s 2 or 3, Banker draws on 0-4 and stands on 5-7.
Once all cards have been dealt, the hand that’s closer to 9 wins.