There are four major types of baccarat played today: American baccarat, Chemin de Fer, baccarat banque, and European baccarat. Mini baccarat is a subdivision of American baccarat, with minor differences in setup and rules. All four games share common vocabulary and play objectives.

Card Values

All tens and face cards have a value of zero, except aces, which count as one. Suit is irrelevant. Card values are added together, and in a fashion similar to blackjack, the objective is score a value of nine. In any combination in which the cards add up to greater than nine, the first number is dropped. For example, if a nine and a six are dealt, they add up to 15; the one is dropped, resulting in a hand of five.

Baccarat Jargon

The two words to learn first are banker and player. The banker is not necessarily provided by the house, but is rotated among the players in some variations. In all versions, there are only two hands for all players to bet on, making baccarat a community card game. All players may bet either on the banker hand, player hand, or for a tie between the two. Other important terms include:

Banco: Banker. Also a play in certain types of baccarat where only one player bets the entire bank amount.

Coup: Round of play.

Croupier: Dealer.

Natural: A hand of 8 or 9 with the first two cards dealt.

Palette: A long, flat wooden stick used to move cards around the table.

Punto: Player. Also referred to as punters.

Shoe: A box that the cards are placed into after being shuffled. The cards are then dealt from the shoe.