Mini-Baccarat is a very simple game. Below, you will find a brief explanation of how the game is dealt. On the next page you will find a chart explaining the basic rules governing the play of the cards in the hands.
- There are three betting positions for each person sitting at the Mini-Baccarat game. They are Player, Banker, and Tie. Each of these positions represents the possible outcome of the hands. Players may place a wager on either the Player or Banker hand. Players may also place a wager on the Tie bet alone.
- To begin the play, two cards are dealt out to each side. The first card is dealt to the Player. The second to the Banker, the third card is dealt to the Player and the fourth is dealt to the Banker. The dealer will first turn up the Player hand and call out the total of the cards. The dealer will then turn up the Banker hand and call out the total of the cards.
- The highest possible total to any hand is 9. The lowest is 0. The hand (Player, Banker) closest to 9 wins. If both of the hands end up with the same total, it is called a Tie.
- The total of the first two cards for each hand will determine if the hand will receive a third card or not. Tens and face cards count as 0 or what is referred to as “nothing”. Any other cards count as their face value. When the dealer adds up the hand and the count is higher than 9, the count will then become 0 again instead of 10.
- The rule that determines whether or not the Banker will get a third card is called the Third Card Rule. Since the Banker does have an advantage ALL winning hands on the Banker side are charged 5% of what they win. We call this charge “commission”.
- If both Player and Banker have the same total at the end of the hand it is called a Tie Hand and the bets do not win or lose.
- Each of the hands (Player and Banker) will have either a “Stand Hand” or a “Draw Hand” on the first two cards dealt to them. The diagrams that follow explain the different types of hands, under the “Stand Rule” in the game of Baccarat.
The cards are valued as follows:
- Ace = 1
- 2 – 9 = Face Value
- Tens and face cards = Zero or nothing
- Player's first two cards equals 0 - 5; player draws a card.
- Player's first two cards equals 6 - 7; player stands.
- Player's first two cards equals 8 - 9; natural - neither hand draws.
When the player stands on 6 or 7 the banker will always draw on totals o 0 - 5, and stand on 6 - 9. If it is a tie hand announce, "Bank ties up 6 - 6."
- Banker's first two cards total 0, 1, 2; banker always draws.
- Banker's first two cards total 3; banker draws unless player's third card is an 8.
- Banker's first two cards total 4; banker draws when player's thrid card is 2 - 7.
- Banker's first two cards total 5; banker draws when player's thrid card is 4 - 7.
- Banker's first two cards total 6; banker draws when player's thrid card is 6 - 7.
- Banker's first two cards total 7; banker draws when player's thrid card is stands.
- Banker's first two cards total 8 - 9; natural - neither hand draws.
The hand closest to 9 wins. All winning bets are paid even money. Winning banker bets are charged a 5% commission and must be in $5 increments.