Baccarat: Valuation of Hands

Baccarat is a popular casino game with roots in pre-19th-century Europe. Scholars dispute its exact origins: Some say it dates back to the 19th century, while other sources suggest it may have been played by Italian soldiers returning from war in the 15th century, during the reign of French King Charles VIII. Others suggest that it may have, in fact, been introduced to the Western World by Asia sometime in the 17th century.

What does this have to do with anything?

Well, not much, really, except to say that this popular card game has a long history and has been played by the lowest of serfs to the highest of lords. It’s also interesting to note that the term baccarat comes from the Italian baccara, which means “zero”.

How Do You Play Baccarat?

Part of what has allowed baccarat to endure in popularity for as long as it has is its simplicity. At its most basic, fundamental level, baccarat is a game of chance and comparison and features two roles: the player and the banker. The two roles each have their own hand, which they bet on and compare to determine whose hand is closest to 9.

This simple premise has given rise to several versions of baccarat, three of which stand above the rest in popularity: punto banco, baccarat chemin de fer, and baccarat banque. Each features its own variations of the classic ruleset, which we’ll elaborate on in a bit.

For now, the important thing to understand is that “9” is the magic, winning number in baccarat, which brings us to our next section.

Valuation of Baccarat Hands

In a game like poker, every card in the deck can give you an edge, with face cards each having their own values. In baccarat, however, the highest number you can achieve is 9, which is the winning number.

Hands will feature a different amount of cards depending on the version of baccarat being played, but the values of each card remain the same.

Number Cards (2 through 9): These cards are taken at face value, i.e. the number shown on the card is equal to its value in points.

Face Cards and 10s: Since 9 is the highest possible number in baccarat, any card beyond that point has no value and is worth zero points.

Aces and Jokers: Aces substitute for 1s and are therefore treated as number cards; jokers, on the other hand, are not used in baccarat.

Another important rule for baccarat is that the sum of all cards in hand (in variations played with more than one card per hand) is treated as modulo 10. That means that when an 8 and 9 are used, for example, their total value will be 7. Conversely, a hand consisting of two 3’s will return as a 6 since this sum does not exceed 10.

To put it simply, if the sum of your two cards is greater than 10, remove the first digit. This ensures that the highest number in baccarat will always be 9.

How to Play Baccarat

Now that you have a pretty firm understanding of the basic mechanics of baccarat, it’s time to start playing! In this guide, we’ll show you how to play the most popular version of baccarat, punto banco, which you can find at just about any casino.

Step 1: Place Your Bets

As mentioned earlier, baccarat is played between two roles, the player and the banker. However, you can bet on either hand at the start of a round; this must be done before the cards are dealt.

(Beginner Tip: It’s generally safer to bet on the banker’s hand since they statistically have a better chance of winning, though do keep in mind that baccarat is still a game of pure luck!)

Step 2: Deal Cards

Once bets have been placed, the cards will be dealt. The player’s card is dealt first, face-up, and then the banker’s, before repeating until each side has two cards on the table. The value of these cards is then announced before any further cards are dealt.

Note that if either side has a total card value of 8 or 9, it results in a “natural win”, and the game is over. All bets are cashed out.

Step 3: Deal More Cards to the Player

This is where the game can get a bit complicated. Third cards are dealt depending on the value of the first two. If the sum of the player’s first two cards is anywhere between 0 and 5, they receive a third card; a sum of 6 or 7 forces them to “stand” and not receive any more cards.

Step 4: Deal More Cards to the Banker

The banker’s third card is dependent on the player’s third card. If the player stands and the banker’s total card value is between 0 and 5, they draw another card; otherwise, they stand with a total card value between 6 and 7.

But there are even more rules to understand regarding the banker’s third card.

If the player’s third card is a 9, 10, ace, or face card, the banker draws with 0 to 3 and stays with 6 to 7.

Should the player’s third card be an 8, the banker draws with 0 to 2 and stays with 3 to 7.

If the player’s third card is a 6 or 7, the banker draws with 0 to 6 and stays with 7.

If the player’s third card is a 4 or 5, the banker draws with 0 to 5 and stays with 6 to 7.

Should the player’s third card be a 2 or 3, the banker draws with 0 to 4 and stays with 5 to 7.

Fortunately, you won’t have to remember all of this off the top of your dome as baccarat tables feature a tableau which displays this information.

Step 5: Calculate the Winning Baccarat Hand

Once all the cards have been dealt, you’ll be able to calculate the winning hand, which is the hand with a total card value equal to 9, or as close as possible.

Baccarat Hands

And with that, you should have everything you need to know about baccarat and its most popular variation.