De-Mystifying Baccarat - Part Two: The More Complicated Stuff

We have talked about some of the basic principles and procedures that are involved in playing baccarat. It is a game that is as simple as you want it to be, because there are really only two things a player needs to decide - whether to place a wager on the Player, the Banker or a Tie, and how much that wager is going to be.

But in case you want to follow and really know what is going on, we'll explain what happens in those situations that aren't easily described in a nutshell.

Of course, you know that any hand that totals eight (8) or nine (9) is a "natural" and that there are no other cards that are drawn to that hand. But sometimes there IS going to be a card drawn. Under what circumstances does this happen?

Well, when it comes to the PLAYER hand, when the total is anything from zero (0) to five (5), there is ONE card that is drawn. When that hand is a natural (8 or 9), there is, well, naturally no additional card. But also, when it is a six (6) or seven (7) there will not be any more cards taken.

As for the BANKER hand, here's where it may get harder to follow. If the Player hand does not necessitate a draw, then the same rules that apply to the Player hand will apply to the Banker hand.

If a third card is indeed drawn by the PLAYER, there are a certain set of rules that must be followed:

• If Banker has 2 or less, a third card is drawn regardless of what the Player has.

• If Banker has 3, a third card is drawn unless the Player drew an 8 with the third card.

• If Banker has 4, a third card is drawn if Player drew anything ranging from two (2) to seven (7) with the third card.

• If Banker has 5, a third card is drawn if the Player drew anything from four (4) to seven (7) with the third card.

• If Banker has 6, a third card is drawn if the Player drew a six (6) or seven (7).

• If Banker has 7, it is a standing hand.

Now THAT is confusing, and hard to remember. And here is the good part: you don't have to. In fact, in land-based casinos this must be a difficult thing for beginning dealers (croupiers) to get a handle on. In the online baccarat game, the computer program handles it all. It's not bad to know all the rules, but don't let yourself be driven crazy if you don't remember all of them.