Game Rules
How to Play Baccarat at PH188 – Complete Beginner's Guide
Baccarat looks complicated from the outside but the rules are actually very simple. Here's everything you need to know before sitting down at a PH188 table.
The Goal and the Three Bets
Baccarat pits two hands against each other: the Banker hand and the Player hand. You're not playing either
hand yourself — you're simply betting on which one you think will win, or whether they'll tie.
The hand closest to a total value of 9 wins. That's the entire game. Before any cards are dealt, you place
your bet on Banker, Player, or Tie. The dealer then deals two cards face up to each hand and totals them.
If either hand totals 8 or 9 (called a Natural), the round ends immediately. Otherwise, a third card may
be drawn based on fixed rules — the player has no decision to make here.
- Banker win pays 0.95:1 (5% commission taken)
- Player win pays 1:1
- Tie pays 8:1 — both bets on Banker and Player are returned in a Tie
At PH188, the bet controls are clearly labelled on the live table interface. You tap your chip value,
tap the bet zone you want (Banker, Player, Tie, Pairs), and confirm. The dealer handles everything from there.
How Cards Are Valued in Baccarat
Baccarat uses a unique counting system. Tens and face cards (J, Q, K) are worth zero. Aces are worth one.
Number cards 2 through 9 are worth their face value. When a hand totals more than 9, only the last digit
counts — so a 7 and an 8 totalling 15 becomes 5, not 15.
| Card |
Value in Baccarat |
Example Hand Total |
| 2 – 9 | Face value | 6 + 3 = 9 (Natural) |
| 10, J, Q, K | Zero (0) | K + 5 = 5 |
| Ace (A) | One (1) | A + 7 = 8 (Natural) |
| Any two-digit total | Last digit only | 9 + 7 = 16 → counts as 6 |
When Does a Third Card Get Drawn?
Third-card drawing is fully automatic based on fixed rules — you never make this decision yourself at PH188.
Player draws a third card if:
- Player's initial total is 0–5 (draws a third card)
- Player's initial total is 6 or 7 (stands — no third card)
- Player's initial total is 8 or 9 (Natural — round ends immediately)
Banker draws a third card based on:
- Banker total 0–2: always draws
- Banker total 3: draws unless Player's third card was an 8
- Banker total 4: draws if Player's third card was 2–7
- Banker total 5: draws if Player's third card was 4–7
- Banker total 6: draws if Player's third card was 6 or 7
- Banker total 7: always stands
The rules look complex written out but in practice you never need to memorise them — at PH188, the live
dealer handles all of this automatically and the correct cards appear on screen.
Side Bets at PH188 Baccarat Tables
Beyond the main Banker/Player/Tie bets, PH188 live baccarat tables offer a selection of optional side bets
that pay out based on specific card combinations. These carry higher house edges but also significantly
higher payouts.
- Player Pair / Banker Pair — First two cards dealt to that side form a matching pair. Pays 11:1.
- Perfect Pair — First two cards of either side are identical in both rank and suit. Pays 25:1.
- Either Pair — At least one of the two sides lands a pair on the initial deal. Pays 5:1.
- Big / Small — Total cards dealt in the round are 4 (Small) or 5–6 (Big). Pays 3:2 or 2:1 respectively.
- Super 6 — Available on No Commission tables. Banker wins on exactly 6; pays 12:1.
Side bets are optional and entirely separate from your main Banker or Player wager. At PH188, you can
place multiple bets simultaneously by tapping each zone on the bet layout before the timer counts down.
