Baccarat third card rule: drawing rules chart
If either hand has 8 or 9 on its first two cards (a natural), both hands stand. Otherwise the Player draws a third card on 0–5 and stands on 6, 7. If the Player stood, the Banker draws on 0–5 and stands on 6, 7; if the Player drew, the Banker's move depends on its own total and the Player's third card, as in the chart below.
Practise the third card rule in the baccaratton Drill — free, play money
When does the Player draw a third card?
| Player's two-card total | The Player |
|---|---|
| 0 | Draws a third card |
| 1 | Draws a third card |
| 2 | Draws a third card |
| 3 | Draws a third card |
| 4 | Draws a third card |
| 5 | Draws a third card |
| 6 | Stands |
| 7 | Stands |
| 8 | Natural: both hands stand |
| 9 | Natural: both hands stand |
When does the Banker draw a third card?
| Banker total | Player stood | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banker 0 | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw |
| Banker 1 | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw |
| Banker 2 | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw |
| Banker 3 | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Stand | Draw |
| Banker 4 | Draw | Stand | Stand | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Stand | Stand |
| Banker 5 | Draw | Stand | Stand | Stand | Stand | Draw | Draw | Draw | Draw | Stand | Stand |
| Banker 6 | Stand | Stand | Stand | Stand | Stand | Stand | Stand | Draw | Draw | Stand | Stand |
| Banker 7 | Stand | Stand | Stand | Stand | Stand | Stand | Stand | Stand | Stand | Stand | Stand |
- When the Player stood: Banker 0–5 draws, Banker 6, 7 stands.
- Banker 0 always draws.
- Banker 1 always draws.
- Banker 2 always draws.
- Banker 3 draws on anything except a Player third card of 8.
- Banker 4 draws when the Player's third card is 2–7.
- Banker 5 draws when the Player's third card is 4–7.
- Banker 6 draws when the Player's third card is 6, 7.
- Banker 7 always stands.
How often does a hand get a third card?
| What happens | How often (8 decks) |
|---|---|
| A natural (8 or 9 on two cards) ends the hand | 34.30% |
| The Player draws a third card | 50.34% |
| The Banker draws a third card | 43.54% |
Do you need to know the third card rule to play?
No. Nobody decides anything at the table: the dealer applies these rules to both hands. They are still worth knowing, because they explain why the Banker wins more often and pays a commission: see Banker vs Player vs Tie odds.
Learn it step by step
Naturals, and when the Player draws · The Banker's turn, part 1: when the Player stood · The Banker's turn, part 2: the table · Calling the hand like a dealer