In a game of Baccarat, how is the winner decided?

[ProGambler]

In Baccarat, the winner is determined based on the total value of the cards in the player and banker hands. The objective of the game is to have a hand with a value closest to 9. The value of each hand is calculated as follows:

The face cards (King, Queen, Jack) and 10s have a value of 0.
Numbered cards from 2 to 9 retain their face value.
The Ace has a value of 1.
If the total value of a hand exceeds 9, only the rightmost digit is considered. For example, if a hand has cards with values of 7 and 9, the total value is 16, but in Baccarat, it is counted as 6.

Once the initial two cards are dealt to the player and the banker, additional cards may be drawn according to specific rules:

If either the player or the banker has a total of 8 or 9 from the first two cards (known as a "natural"), no more cards are drawn, and the hand with the higher value wins.
If the player's total is 5 or less, the player must draw another card.

 

[CR7]

If the player stands (has a total of 6 or 7), then the banker's play is determined by the following rules:

- If the banker's total is 2 or less, the banker draws a third card.
- If the banker's total is 3, the banker draws a third card unless the player's third card was an 8.
- If the banker's total is 4, the banker draws a third card unless the player's third card was a 0, 1, 8, or 9.
- If the banker's total is 5, the banker draws a third card if the player's third card was 4, 5, 6, or 7.
- If the banker's total is 6, the banker draws a third card if the player's third card was a 6 or 7.
- If the banker's total is 7, the banker stands and no more cards are drawn.

Once all the cards have been dealt, the hand with a total value closest to 9 wins. If both the player and banker have the same total, it is a tie or a "push" and bets placed on the player and banker are returned.

It's important to note that the player does not necessarily represent the actual player at the table, and the banker does not necessarily represent the house or the dealer. In Baccarat, players have the option to bet on either the player or the banker outcome.