The baccarat third-card rule, decoded.

The rule looks like a wall of numbers until you separate it into two questions: did Player draw, and if so, what was Player’s third card?

Reviewed by the Baccaret Editorial Team · Updated August 2026

First principle

You do not choose whether to draw in standard punto banco. The rule is procedural. Learning it helps you understand the game, not outsmart the dealer.

Player rule

Player two-card total	Action
0–5	Draw
6–7	Stand
8–9	Natural; no draw

Banker rule when Player stands

If Player stands on 6 or 7, Banker generally draws on 0–5 and stands on 6–7. Naturals end the procedure before this point.

Banker rule when Player draws

Banker total	Banker draws when Player’s third card is…
0–2	Always
3	Anything except 8
4	2–7
5	4–7
6	6–7
7	Never

A memory aid that actually explains the structure

As Banker’s starting total gets stronger, the set of Player third cards that trigger a Banker draw gets narrower: almost everything at Banker 3, then 2–7 at 4, 4–7 at 5, and only 6–7 at 6.

That pattern is easier to retain than memorizing isolated cells.