Punto Banco
Aim for 9, seize the victory!
Punto Banco is a modified version of Baccarat. Originating from Italy and France, it later traveled to HAVANA (CUBA) as well as to Mexico during the same period, where it was given this name. Punto Banco is one of the “flagship” card games featured in countless scenes from successful films. Highly popular for its speed and simplicity, Punto Banco is played with 6 decks of 52 cards and brings together up to 7 players around a semi-circular table. Like a prediction game, the player must anticipate the final result by simply betting on the victory of “Punto” (the Player), “Banco” (the Bank), or the “Tie”, in order to obtain the best combination (total value closest to 9 on the bet placed).
Rules
How Punto Banco is played
Objective of the game
PUNTO BANCO is a derivative of Baccarat. The game is played with a “six-deck shoe” consisting of six 52-card decks.
Each card has its face value, except for 10s and face cards, which are worth 0. The dealer ensures the proper conduct of the game.
PUNTO (the Player), BANCO (the Bank), or TIE?
To win, I simply need to have placed my bet on the outcome whose total number of points comes closest to nine.
Game Procedure
With a maximum of 7 players seated at the table (in a semi-circular layout), I must bet on the outcome of a duel between PUNTO (the Player) and BANCO (the Bank), and/or on a TIE.
After shuffling the cards or removing them from the automatic shuffler, the dealer asks a player to cut the six-deck shoe, then inserts a cut card between the tenth and eleventh cards of the stack in order to mark the last hand of the game.
A first card is drawn from the shoe and determines the number of cards that will be “burned” by the dealer (if the card drawn is a 7, seven cards are burned; if the card drawn is a 10 or a face card, ten cards are burned).
Before each deal, I place my bet on the table, on the box located above the number that represents me.
Once placed, bets may neither be removed nor modified until the next deal.
Before the cards are dealt, I may choose to bet on:
1. The Player winning (the “PUNTO” box);
2. Or the Bank winning (the “BANCO” box);
3. Or a tie (the “TIE” box) between Player and Bank;
4. Or simultaneously on a tie (the “TIE” box) and on one of the other two boxes (“PUNTO” winning or “BANCO” winning).
The dealer draws the cards one by one, alternating the distribution and starting with PUNTO, then BANCO. The cards for PUNTO (the Player) are placed on the right, and the cards for BANCO (the Bank) on the left.
The PLAYER hand is revealed first, followed by the BANK hand; the drawing rules table is then applied:
• PUNTO is paid at even money;
• BANCO: if BANCO wins with a total of 6, winning bets are paid at half value;
• The TIE, whose maximum amount may not exceed one-eighth of the maximum bet, is paid 8 to 1;
• For both PLAYER and BANK: a total of 8 or 9 obtained with two cards is a “natural”; no additional card may be drawn.
After the initial two cards are drawn:
• For the PLAYER: a total between 0 and 5 requires drawing an additional card;
• For the BANK: drawing an additional card is determined by the annexed table.
