Standard punto banco uses automatic drawing rules: the people wagering do not choose whether the Player or Banker hand takes a third card. A frequent source of confusion is the Banker hand's two-card total of 4, 5 or 6. It sometimes draws and sometimes stands. The deciding information is the value of the Player hand's third card, but only if the Player has taken one. This lesson focuses on those three conditional cases, not on promising better outcomes.
First check for a natural and what the Player did
If either opening two-card hand totals 8 or 9, it is a natural and neither hand receives a third card. Without a natural, the Player hand draws on an opening total of 0–5 and stands on 6–7. If Player stands, Banker draws on 0–5 and stands on 6–7. Therefore, when Player stands, Banker 4 and 5 both draw, while Banker 6 stands. The special table below only applies after a Player third card has actually appeared. The complete logic is in our third-card rule chart.
Banker 4: draw when Player's third card is 2–7
Suppose the Banker's first cards are 9 and 5: their point values sum to 14, so the Banker stands at an initial score of 4. Player starts 2 and 2 (total 4), so Player must draw, and the drawn card is a 6. Banker now draws because 6 lies in the inclusive range 2–7. Change only the Player's drawn card to 8 and Banker must stand instead. The comparison concerns the single new card worth 6 or 8; it does not concern Player's eventual total after adding it.
Banker 5: a narrower 4–7 window
With an initial Banker value of 5, the draw is allowed only when Player's third-card value is 4, 5, 6 or 7. For example, Player starts with 3 and 2, draws a 4 and finishes on 9; Banker starts with 2 and 3, and draws because Player's third card is 4. If Player instead drew a 3, Banker 5 would stand. Even when the resulting Player total happens to look strong or weak, it cannot override the printed rule. These are examples of legal dealing decisions, not outcome predictions.
Banker 6: only the Player third-card 6 or 7 qualifies
A Banker's opening 6 usually stands, but after Player has drawn a third card it takes one more only when that card is 6 or 7. For instance, Banker starts 4 plus 2; Player starts 2 plus 3 and draws a 7. Banker draws. If the new Player card were a 5 instead, Banker would stand. After any allowed third cards, compare only the final digit of each hand's point sum. Each hand receives no more than three cards under the normal rule set.
What this lesson does not establish
These rules control dealing, not whether the next hand will be a Banker or Player win. A specific table may use special Baccarat variants or other settlement terms, which must be checked separately. For another unusual case, read our Banker-on-3 and Player-8 example; for hands to check independently, use the practice worksheet. The Venetian's published chart and Wizard of Odds rules both state the same draw/stand ranges for standard punto banco. The purpose of checking a rule is accuracy, not encouragement to stake money.