How to Play Baccarat
Baccarat plays itself once the bets are down. You back the Player or the Banker (or a Tie), the cards are dealt to fixed rules, and the hand closest to 9 wins. Here is exactly how the card values work and how a round — called a coup — unfolds.
Card values and totals
Card values are easy: 10s and all face cards count as 0, an ace counts as 1, and every other card is worth its face value. To get a hand total you add the cards together and drop the tens digit — only the last digit counts. So 7 + 8 = 15, which scores as 5, and 9 + 6 = 15 also scores as 5. The highest possible total is 9, which is why baccarat is the game of chasing 9.
Naturals and the third-card rule
Each side starts with two cards. If the Player or Banker holds an 8 or 9 on those first two cards, that is a natural — the round ends immediately and the higher natural wins. If neither side has a natural, the fixed third-card rules decide whether a third card is drawn. The Player draws on a total of 0–5 and stands on 6–7; the Banker's draw then depends on its own total and the Player's third card. Crucially, you never decide any of this — the dealer applies the rules automatically, identically every time. There is no skill in the drawing.
How a coup plays out
A single round is a coup. You place your rand on Player, Banker or Tie. Two cards go to each hand. Naturals are checked first; if there is none, the fixed rules add a third card where required. The two totals are compared, the hand closest to 9 wins, and winning bets are paid. Then the next coup begins. For the bets and payouts, read Baccarat Bets, Odds & House Edge.
Frequently asked questions
What beats what in baccarat?
Whichever hand is closest to a total of 9 wins. A natural 9 is the strongest possible result, followed by a natural 8. If both hands have the same total, it is a tie and only Tie bets are paid.
Why does 7 plus 8 equal 5 in baccarat?
Because totals drop the tens digit. 7 + 8 = 15, and only the last digit counts, so the hand scores 5. Any total of 10 or more loses its tens digit the same way.
Do I decide whether to draw a third card?
No. The third-card rules are fixed and the dealer applies them automatically based on the totals. The player never makes a drawing decision, which is part of why baccarat is so simple to play.