How to Play Baccarat: Rules for Beginners

Baccarat is one of the oldest casino games still played today. The version you’ll find in almost every online and land-based casino is called Punto Banco, and it is what most people mean by “baccarat.”

Unlike poker or blackjack, baccarat gives you no decisions once the cards are dealt. “Player” and “Banker” are simply the names of the two hands, not you and the casino. You can bet on either one, or on a Tie, and the result depends only on the cards.

Every round follows the same order:

1. 1
   You place your bet on Player, Banker, Tie, and any side bets.
2. 2
   The dealer deals two cards to Player and two to Banker, alternating.
3. 3
   If either hand has a natural 8 or 9, both hands stand and the round is settled.
4. 4
   If there’s no natural, the Player hand draws or stands by the third card rules.
5. 5
   Then the Banker hand draws or stands, using the same rules.
6. 6
   The hand with the higher score wins. Equal scores are a Tie.

Most games use a shoe of eight decks, shuffled together. Some tables use six. The number of decks barely changes the odds, as our baccarat odds page shows.

The third card rules decide when each hand takes another card. The good news: you never have to apply them. The dealer or the software does it automatically. Still, knowing them helps you follow the game.

When the Player Draws

When the Banker Draws

If the Player stood on two cards, the Banker follows the same rule: draws on 0–5, stands on 6–7. If the Player drew a third card, the Banker’s move depends on its own total and on the Player’s third card:

A “0” in the table means a 10 or a face card.

Hand 1: a natural nine. You bet $10 on Player. Player gets a King and a 9: 0 + 9 = 9, a natural. Banker has 4 and 3, which is 7. No more cards are drawn. Player wins with 9 against 7, and you collect $10 in winnings plus your $10 stake.

Hand 2: the Banker draws. You bet $10 on Banker. Player has 2 and 3, which is 5, so Player draws: a 6 makes 11, which counts as 1. Banker has 3 and 2, which is 5. With 5, Banker draws when the Player’s third card is 4–7 — here it’s 6, so Banker draws a 2 for a total of 7. Banker wins 7 against 1, and you get $9.50 ($10 minus the 5% commission) plus your stake.

The rules on this page apply to Punto Banco, the standard version. Other variants change the commission, the pace or the side bets:

• Mini Baccarat — the same rules at a smaller table with lower limits.
• Chemin de Fer — players take turns as the bank and can choose to draw on 5.
• No Commission / Super 6 — no 5% fee, but Banker wins with 6 pay half.
• EZ Baccarat — no commission; a Banker win with a three-card 7 is a push.
• Speed Baccarat — live rounds of about 27 seconds.
• Squeeze — cards are revealed slowly for drama.

All of them are explained on our baccarat variants page.

In a casino, the dealer handles everything. They deal cards from the shoe in a fixed order — Player, Banker, Player, Banker — apply the third card rules, announce the result, pay winning bets and track the commission owed on Banker wins.

At high-limit tables, the player with the biggest bet may be allowed to reveal the cards. That’s why you sometimes see players bending or slowly peeling cards: it’s the squeeze, a tradition from Asian casinos. Because of it, land-based casinos replace the cards after each shoe.

1. 1
   Betting on Tie for the 8 to 1 payout. Its house edge is 14.36%, more than 13 times the Banker bet’s.
2. 2
   Avoiding Banker because of the commission. Even with the 5% fee, it is the best bet in the game.
3. 3
   Making side bets your main bet. Most side bets have a house edge of 7–10% or more.
4. 4
   Following patterns on the scoreboard. Every hand is independent; past results don’t predict the next one.
5. 5
   Chasing losses. Raising your bets to win back money is the fastest way to lose more. Set a budget and stick to it.

If you’re looking for “how to play baccarat and win,” the honest answer is to avoid these mistakes: there is no way to beat the house edge over time. Our baccarat strategy guide explains what you can and can’t control.