Mini Baccarat, an ancient game of chance is played with eight (8) decks of cards and up to seven (7) persons are permitted to play at one time. The cards are shuffled by the dealer and then reshuffled and placed in a box called a shoe. There are no options in the game on drawing or standing. The draw stand rules are outlined below.
THE OBJECT
The object of the game is to come as close to the number nine as possible. Face cards and tens, or any combination of cards totaling ten, count as zero. The ace is counted as one, the deuce is counted as two, etc.
THE PLAY OF THE GAME
The cards are taken from the shoe by the dealer. Two cards referred to as “the player’s hand”, are extended to the player’s side and two cards are dealt to the banker’s side. The dealer announces the point counts. If either hand has a point count of eight (8) or nine (9), it is a natural and no additional cards are drawn. If neither hand has a natural, an additional card is drawn face up for the player’s and banker’s hand based on the hit/stand rules. The hand with a point count closest to nine wins. If both hands total the same number, it is a tie.
BETS
There are three (3) ways to bet in Mini Baccarat. All players can bet on the Banker’s hand or the Player’s hand, or a tie. These bets are placed before the dealer calls “no more bets” and the cards are dealt. A bet on the banker’s hand wins if the Banker’s hand has a point count higher than the Player’s hand. A bet on the player’s hand wins if the Player’s hand has a point count higher than the Banker’s hand. It is a tie if the point counts are equal. Winning bets are paid even money, however, all winning bank hands are charged a 5% commission. Tie bets pay 8 to 1.
PLAYER always draws on 0,1,2,3,4,5 unless Banker has a natural 8 or 9. Player always stands on 6,7,8,9.
When Player has an 8 or 9, the game is over.
BANKER always draws on 0,1,2 unless Player has a natural 8 or 9. Banker always stands on 7,8,9.
When the Banker has an 8 or 9, the game is over.
No partnership may exceed the table maximum.
Banker and Player follow these draw/stand rules:
“PLAYER RULES”
| When the first two cards total: | |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 0 | Draw |
| 6, 7 | Stands |
| 8, 9 | Stands (Natural) |
“BANKER” RULES
| Banker Having: | Draws when the Player’s third card is: |
| 3 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 0 |
| 4 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| 5 | 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| 6 | 6, 7 |
| 7 | |
| 8, 9 |
| Banker Having: | No draw when the Player’s third card is: |
| 3 | 8 |
| 4 | 1, 8, 9, 0 |
| 5 | 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 0 |
| 6 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 0 |
| 7 | Stands |
| 8, 9 | Stands (Natural) |