In the game of Baccarat, the best hand value is 9. This is the highest possible score a hand can achieve. A hand totaling 9 is called a “natural“ and cannot be beaten, except by another natural 9. If both the Player and Banker hands are dealt a natural 9, the result is a tie. 
The second-best hand value is 8, which is also considered a natural. If either the Player or Banker is dealt a total of 8 or 9, no further cards are drawn according to the standard rules. The objective is to bet on which hand, Player or Banker, will have a total closer to 9.
Hand values are calculated by adding the point values of the cards. Cards 2 through 9 are worth their face value. Aces are worth 1 point, and 10s, Jacks, Queens, and Kings are worth 0 points. If the total of a hand exceeds 9, only the last digit of the total is used. For example, a hand with a 7 and an 8 totals 15, but its value in Baccarat is 5. |
