1. There are three sections to a table from which you can make a bet. These are the player, the bank and a tie. Before the cards are dealt, you can choose which of the three outcomes will occur. Choose the bank or player correctly for a 1:1 payout. Ties have a 9:1, or 8:1, payout. ‘Bank’ and ‘player’ are a tad misleading as they have nothing to with the house or you, respectively.
2. After you have laid down your bet, both the player and the bank receive two cards. The sum of these two cards is then determined for both the player and the bank. While cards from 1 to 9 are worth their face value, 10s and face cards (i.e. Kings, Queens and Jacks) have no worth (zero). A total that exceeds nine will deduct ten from it. For example, ten will be deducted from a pair of eights (totalling sixteen) to produce six.
3. The objective of the game is to come closer to nine than the other hand. A tie is the result of two identical hands. If the bank’s two cards are a King and nine (0+9), and the player’s hand is a five and one (5+1), then the bank’s hand beats the player’s. If you placed your bet on the bank, then you would receive 2x your stake back.
4. A 3rd card may be dealt to a player in the scenario where the total of the two cards is less than or equal to five (5). Should the bank hold a total of eight (8) or nine (9), then the bank would automatically win, making it an exception to the rule. Otherwise, the sum of all three cards is calculated and compared to the bank.
5. The bank may receive a 3rd card as well if the player has also received one. Whether this is the case depends on the value of the player’s 3rd card and the sum of the bank’s hand. By way of example, if a player’s 3rd card turns out to be a two (2) or three (3), then the bank would receive a 3rd card with a sum of less than or equal to four (4).
The table below provides the situations in which the bank collects a 3rd card:
