Understanding the third card rule in baccarat involves knowing when a third card is drawn based on the point totals of the player and banker hands. For the player hand: if the total is 5 or less, a third card must be drawn; for the banker hand, complex rules determine if a third card is needed based on the banker total and the value of the player's third card, if one was drawn. Mastering these third card rules is important to understanding how to play baccarat.

1. Understanding the third card rule
BACCARAT

2. Understanding the third card rule
The object in a game of baccarat is to successfully
wager on the hand that you think will have the
highest total value. There are three types of hands:
banco (bank), punto (player) and standoff. The dealer
will give each player two cards, first to the player
hands and then to the banker hands. Face cards and
10s have no value. This is because the value of a
double digit card/hand ignores the first digit and only
takes the second.

3. Understanding the third card rule
With a 10, the 1 is ignored and only the zero is counted. Aces
are worth 11. Remember this by thinking of blackjack, where
10s and face-cards are both worth 10 points and aces all
worth 11 or (or 1 in a soft hand). In baccarat, because only
the 2nd digit is counted, the ace is naturally only worth a
single point.
If a hand ends up with a total of 8 or 9 (nine being the
highest), the player is said to have called a Natural and no
more cards are dealt. If, however, the player does not attain a
natural, then the dealer may deal a third card.

4. Understanding the third card rule
Here's how the third-card rule works:
Punto
• If the player has a total of 8 or 9 on the first two cards then no further
cards are dealt. This could be a combination, for example, an ace + 8,
which would give the player a total of 9 points.
• If the players two-card total is less than or equal to 5, then the player
must be dealt a third card.
• If the player does not draw a third card, then the banker hand must
stand on 6 or more while taking a third card if its total is 5 or less.
• If the player does take a third card, then the bank’s own third-card rule
will be the deciding factor in determining whether the bank must take
a third or not.

5. Understanding the third card rule
Banco
• If the banker has a total of 2 or less, then the bank must draw a card.
• If the banker has a total of 3, then the bank must draw a third card
unless the players own third card was an 8.
• If the bank has a total of 4, then the bank must draw a third card unless
the players own third card was a 0, 1, 8, or 9.
• If the bank has a total of 5, then the bank must draw a third card only if
the player’s third card was a 4, 5, 6, or 7.
• If the bank has a total of 6, then the bank must draw a third card only if
the players own third card was a 6 or 7.
• Finally, if the bank has a total of 7 then it stands.

6. Understanding the third card rule
As you can see, the rules pertaining to third cards can be
tricky, convoluted and difficult to wrap your head around,
Spend some time studying the conditions above to familiarize
yourself with how the third card rule works.