The object in a game of baccarat is to successfully wager on the hand that you think will have the highest total value. There are three types of hands: banco (bank), punto (player) and standoff. The dealer will give each player two cards, first to the player hands and then to the banker hands. Face cards and 10s have no value. This is because the value of a double digit card/hand ignores the first digit and only takes the second. With a 10, the 1 is ignored and only the zero is counted. Aces are worth 11. Remember this by thinking of blackjack, where 10s and face-cards are both worth 10 points and aces all worth 11 or (or 1 in a soft hand). In baccarat, because only the 2nd digit is counted, the ace is naturally only worth a single point.

Here's how the third-card rule works:

Punto

• If the player has a total of 8 or 9 on the first two cards then no further cards are dealt. This could be a combination, for example, an ace + 8, which would give the player a total of 9 points.
• If the players two-card total is less than or equal to 5, then the player must be dealt a third card.
• If the player does not draw a third card, then the banker hand must stand on 6 or more while taking a third card if its total is 5 or less.
• If the player does take a third card, then the bank’s own third-card rule will be the deciding factor in determining whether the bank must take a third or not.

Banco

• If the banker has a total of 2 or less, then the bank must draw a card.
• If the banker has a total of 3, then the bank must draw a third card unless the players own third card was an 8.
• If the bank has a total of 4, then the bank must draw a third card unless the players own third card was a 0, 1, 8, or 9.
• If the bank has a total of 5, then the bank must draw a third card only if the player’s third card was a 4, 5, 6, or 7.
• If the bank has a total of 6, then the bank must draw a third card only if the players own third card was a 6 or 7.
• Finally, if the bank has a total of 7 then it stands.

As you can see, the rules pertaining to third cards can be tricky, convoluted and difficult to wrap your head around, Spend some time studying the conditions above to familiarize yourself with how the third card rule works.

Learn more about baccarat:

• Baccarat Tips
• Baccarat Strategies
• Baccarat Game Reviews/Previews