The rules of Baccarat are really simple. It is played with a single standard deck of 52 cards. Each Baccarat game begins with the dealer dealing 4 cards: 2 each for the house and the player. The player and the dealer both start with hands of two cards. The player always receives his cards before the house. Each must get as close to a total of 9 as possible. Hands in Baccarat can only total up to 9 as the cards are valued as:

a. Number card - valued at their face value

b. Aces - valued at 1

c. Picture cards - valued at 10.

If you have bet on the player you have the option of viewing his cards in one of three ways. You do this by clicking on TOSS, QUICK or SIDE. If you bet on the banker, you can only view his cards via the SIDE view.

When a hand is dealt the cards are added together. If the total is more than ten, the ten is simply removed from the total. As an example, of you are dealt a six and seven, the total is 13, and after removing the 10, your hand is left with a total of three.

The best hand in Baccarat is a Natural, which means that the two cards that you are dealt add up to 9. This hand wins automatically unless you have a tie with the other player who also has a Natural

If there is no clear winner with the first round, the player and the dealer are each given an extra card to determine the winner. If there is a tie, all bets are left on the table and players can choose to continue the best for the next game. They can also have the option of removing their bets.

Then according to the standard baccarat rules, a third card may be dealt to the player and/or the banker. Go through the rules below:

* If a player's initial hand adds up to 6 or greater - he/she must stand and will not receive additional cards.

*If a player's initial hand adds up to 5 or less - the player is dealt an additional card.

* If the House hand adds up to 7 or more - the house must stand.

*If the House hand adds up to 0, 1 or 2 - the house must take an additional card.

* If the House hand adds up to a total of 3, and the player's third card is anything other than an 8) - the house will hit.

* If the House hand adds up to a total of 4, and the player's third card is anything other than 1, 8, 9, or 0 the house will hit.

* House hand totals 5, and the player is dealt a 4, 5, 6, or 7 - the house will hit.

* Finally, if the house hand totals 6, and the player's third card is 6 or 7, the house will hit.

Player

Point value of first two cards:

0-1-2-3-4-5 Draws a card

6-7 Stands

8-9 "Natural hand", no further draw

Banker

Point value of first two cards

Draws when the player's third card is

Does not draw when the player's third card is

0-1-2

Always draws a card - 3 0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-9

8 4 2-3-4-5-6-7

0-1-8-9 5 4-5-6-7

0-1-2-3-8-9 6 6-7

0-1-2-3-4-5-8-9 7 Always stands

- 8-9 Player cannot draw

Player cannot draw

A successful bet on the player pays 1:1, a successful bet on the banker pays 1:1 less 5% commission and a successful bet on a tie pays 8:1. It is penchant.