Significance

• In the Baccarat scoring system, the 10, jack, queen and king are each worth 0 points, and the ace is worth 1 point. The rest of the cards are worth their face value of 2 through 9. However, when adding up their total score, players drop the tens digit. For example, a 2 and 4 are worth 6 points, but a 7 and 8, which total 15, are worth 5 points since the scoring drops the tens place. For this reason, a score of 10 (such as a pair of fives, or a 7 and 3) is worth zero. Nine is the highest potential score, and the object of Baccarat is to come as close to a score of nine as possible.
  
  

Features

• The dealer gives the player and the banker each two cards, placing them face down on the table. If either the player or the banker has a score of 8 or 9, also called a natural deal, the dealer does not deal any more cards and the player with the highest total wins. If the player has an initial total of 6 or 7, the player does not draw additional cards, and the banker draws a card only if his or her initial total is 0 through 5. If the player has an initial total of 0 through 5, the player draws one additional card. Whether or not the banker then draws depends on what the player receives and the banker's initial score, as described below.
  
  

Effects

• If the player draws a 2 or 3 as an additional card, the banker draws only if his or her initial score is 0 through 4. If the player draws a 4 or 5, the banker draws only with an initial score of 0 through 5. If the player draws a 6 or 7, the banker draws only with an initial score of 0 through 6. If the player draws an 8, the banker draws only with an initial score of 0 through 2. If the player draws a 9, 10, ace, jack, queen or king, the banker draws only if he or she has a score of 0 through 3. The highest score then determines whether the player or banker wins, or whether the hand ends in a tie.
  
  

Types

• The North American, or Punto Banco, rules for Baccarat are used in the United States and Canada, as well as Macau, Australia and Sweden. European countries often use the Baccarat Chemin de Fer, or railway rules, or Baccarat Banque (also called Baccarat à deux tableaux) rules. These versions use the same scoring system, but give the player the option of drawing or refusing an additional card after receiving an initial score of 5. The banker may then choose to draw or refuse an additional card based on strategy, rather than pre-set rules, unless the game starts with a natural deal scoring 8 or 9.
  
  

Function

• In large casinos, Baccarat tables generally have a croupier and two dealers. Most other locations play mini-Baccarat, which uses a smaller table and only one dealer. In Baccarat Chemin de Fer, a player usually obtains the banker role by sitting to the right of the croupier, and the same person retains the banker role until the banker loses. In Baccarat Banque, a player usually obtains the banker role by placing the highest bet, and the same player retains the banker role throughout the game, whether the Banker wins or loses. The role then passes to the next highest bidder or the player on the right.