The object of the game is to get closer to 9 than the dealer (banker) does. The game is played modulo 10, that is if your hand totals more than 10 then 10 is subtracted from the total to get a total between 0 and 9. For example if you are dealt a Queen and a six for a total of 16, you subtract 10 from 16 to get a total of 6.

The game of Baccarat is totally governed by a ridged set of rules that make the best decisions for both the player and dealer. Many players don't even know what the rules are and simply place a bet and wait for the dealer to tell them if they have won or not.

The game starts with both dealer and player each receiving two cards face down. They look at the cards and then follow the rules.

The player goes first, his/her cards are placed face up and the following takes place:

Total of player's first two cards	Action taken
0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5	Draw a card
6 or 7	Stand
8 or 9	Stand (Naturals)

Then it's the dealers turn. He/she turns over their cards and then does the following:

Dealers Hand	Draws When Giving	Stands When Giving
0, 1 or 2	Any card
3	1 - 7, 9 or 10	8
4	2 - 7	1, 8 - 10
5	4 - 7	1 - 3, 8 - 10
6	6 - 7	1 - 5, 8 - 10
7	Stands	Stands
8 or 9	Stands	Stands