North American Baccarat

What Is North American Baccarat?

Baccarat has a dust of regional influence casting in a bit of variation based on the country where it is being played. Here is a bit about Punto Banco, the North American Baccarat.

Punto Banco is also known as North American Baccarat. This game can be played in a regular “Blackjack Table” (conventional) or in a “Kidney Shaped” table like in London Casinos. About 12 players can sit in the table. All the 12 players will not be dealt with cards, only 2 players will be dealt with cards and others will be betting on who will win. Before the cards are dealt, the players will wager on the Punto, Banco or Egalite.

Cards are dealt from 8 or 6 standard deck of 52 cards. Of the two players being dealt with cards, one will be the player “Punto” another will be the banker “Banco.” Rest of the players will be betting on:

Player winning.
Banker winning.
It will be a tie (Egalite)

Two cards are dealt to the player and the bank. The values are declared to the dealer. The decisions about third card dealing are made based on their hand total.

Third Card Dealing For Player

First 2 cards are dealt, if the total of the first two cards is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, then a third card (last card) is dealt to the player. If the total is 6, 7, 8, or 9 for the player with the first two cards no more cards are dealt.

Third Card Dealing For Bank

First 2 cards are dealt; the bank should draw if the total of the first two cards is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.
If the value of the Bank’s hand is 6, there are exceptional draw rules:

Rule 1: If the player has a hand total of 6 or 7 with three cards, then the bank draws.
Rule 2: If the player has a hand total of 6 or 7 with two cards, then the bank stands.

After the completion of the draws the hands are evaluated.

The Cards In Baccarat Are Valued As Follows

Face cards and Tens are worth zero. (Face cards have the value of 10. From the number ten, the value of the number in the one’s place is taken as the value. Ten is written like one in the “tenth place” and zero in the “one’s place”, therefore the value zero.
The number cards are worth their face value.

Winning Values

While adding the cards the tens value is ignored in the total. For example, the player holding 8 and 4 is added 8 + 4 = 12 and the number in the “ones place” is taken and therefore the hand is valued as 2 and not 12. The number in the tenth place is not included. The total of 6 + 4 hand is 10, and therefore the accepted value is zero!

The player who has 9 or the value closest to 9 is the winner. The hand winning with 9 is called as the natural win. The second best hand will be 8. If the “Punto” or “Bunco” players do not get the natural, the casino instructs the card dealer to decide on the winner based on the closest total value of the hand to 9!