The game starts with four cards dealt from the shoe, forming two hands — one called the Player’s hand, the other the Banker’s hand. The initial four cards are dealt alternately from the shoe. Player and banker are dealt two initial cards. If the point count of either hand is 8 or 9, it is called a “Natural”, and no additional cards are drawn. There are no options regarding drawing the third card for either Player’s or Banker’s hand. No more than one additional card will be drawn on each hand. The dealer announces the point count of the Player’s hand and the Banker’s hand and draws additional cards according to the rules. All bets must be placed before the dealer calls “no more bets” and the cards are dealt. The hand closest to 9 wins and shall be paid at odds of 1 to 1 (5% commission on bankers hand). If both the Player’s and Banker’s hands are identical totals, the Tie Bet wins, but the Player’s and Banker’s hand neither win nor lose.

Any card from 2 to 9 shall have its face value. Aces equal 1. All tens and face cards have no value. When the total of the cards exceeds 9, the first digit of the total is dropped. So: 9+5=4.