How baccarat works

In standard Punto Banco, you do not choose how either hand plays. You choose a bet before the deal; fixed rules determine whether a third card is drawn.

Card values and totals

Ace counts as 1.
Cards 2 through 9 count at face value.
10s and face cards count as 0.

Add the cards, then keep only the last digit. For example, 7 + 8 makes 15, so the hand is worth 5. The best possible total is 9.

What is an ace worth in baccarat?

An ace is worth 1 point, not 11 as in blackjack. An ace and a 6 make 7. An ace and a 9 make 10, which counts as 0. Suits never matter.

What you can bet on

You can bet that the Player hand wins, the Banker hand wins, or that the two hands tie. “Player” and “Banker” name the two hands; you are not playing a hand against the dealer.

When a third card is drawn

If either first two-card hand totals 8 or 9, that is a natural and neither side draws again. Otherwise, the Player hand draws on 0–5 and stands on 6–7. The Banker hand follows its own fixed rule, which can depend on the Player’s third card.

The Player’s third-card rule

Player’s first two cards total	What happens
0–5	Draws a third card
6–7	Stands
8–9	Natural: neither side draws

Banker third-card rules (full chart)

If the Player stands, the Banker draws on 0–5 and stands on 6–7. If the Player draws, use the Player’s third card with the Banker’s first two-card total:

Banker total	Banker draws when the Player’s third card is
0–2	Any value
3	0–7 or 9 (stands on 8)
4	2–7
5	4–7
6	6 or 7
7	Never

Two examples. The Banker has 4 and the Player draws a 3: the Banker draws, because a total of 4 draws on 2–7. The Banker has 4 and the Player draws an 8: the Banker stands. (10s and face cards count as 0.)

You don’t need to memorize the Banker chart. The dealer applies it automatically. The table’s rules are the final word, especially for game variations.

How a round settles

The hand with the higher total wins. On a tie, the Player and Banker bets usually push (the stake is returned), while a Tie bet wins. The payout and Banker commission depend on the table rules.

For a specific example, try a hand in the payout calculator. The payouts page lists what each bet pays, and the odds guide explains how pay tables affect the return.

Last updated October 8, 2026.

This page describes standard Punto Banco at a high level. Some casinos offer variations with different rules or side bets. See the rules references.