This game, also known as Punto Banco is played in a group where everyone bets on the results of one hand: the target being to get as close to nine as possible. The cards are distributed by a Dealer. Players can bet in two ways: Banco (as the banker) or Punto (as a player).

If you choose to be the player, you can chose either option. But if you choose to be a banker, you can only be Banco. You get two hands from the dealer and must bet which one will win, or say that there will be a tie. There are even odds in the Payoff: you bet $1 and get an extra $2 back. Should you win as Banco, you have to pay the casino a 5% commission. But this is fair since Banco wins more often than Punto.

Playing Steps

•  Everybody has 2-3 cards.

•  You get two cards from the Dealer, who holds two more cards.

•  You compare your hand to that of the Dealer, who declares the winner.

•  If you get 8 or 9 (9 is the highest) then this is a 'Natural' and dealing stops. If there are other numbers, the card dealer may deal a third card. Check which casinos operate the 'third card' rule.

•  The player with the highest-scoring hand wins. A player who acts as a dealer is not involved in payouts.

Rules

1) No cards above 9 have any value (so face cards and 10s are not counted).

2) Aces are valued at 1.

3) There is no significant in card suits � only in the numbers.