Monkey (Zero-Value Card)
Monkey is universal baccarat table slang for any zero-value card—a 10, Jack, Queen, or King (called 公仔牌, gung1 zai2 paai2, 'picture card' or 'doll card' in Cantonese). When a player already holds an 8 or 9 on one card or awaits a third card that must not change the ones digit, players call out 'Monkey!' hoping to peel a zero-value face card.
What “Monkey” means at a baccarat table
In baccarat, “Monkey” is universal casino table slang for any zero-value card—specifically a Jack, Queen, King, or 10. In Macau and Hong Kong Cantonese, the three court cards (Jack, Queen, and King) are called 公仔牌 (gung1 zai2 paai2, literally “picture cards” or “doll/figure cards”), while in English-speaking and bilingual pits from Macau and Singapore to Las Vegas and Melbourne, players call out “Monkey!” whenever they want the next face-down card to carry a value of zero.
Why 30.77% of an 8-deck baccarat shoe counts as zero
Under baccarat's modulo-10 scoring rules (the very reason the game was named baccara, the old Italian and French word for “zero”), Aces count as 1, ranks 2 through 9 count at face value, and every 10, Jack, Queen, and King counts as 0.
Because four entire ranks out of thirteen are worth zero points, 10s and face cards make up nearly one-third of every 8-deck (416-card) shoe:
| Card Group | Baccarat Point Value | Count in 8-Deck Shoe | Share of 416 Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court Cards (J, Q, K — 公仔牌) | 0 points | 96 cards (32 J + 32 Q + 32 K) | 23.08% (3 in 13) |
| Tens (10 — Four-Side pip card) | 0 points | 32 cards | 7.69% (1 in 13) |
| All Zero-Value Cards (10, J, Q, K) | 0 points | 128 cards | 30.77% (4 in 13) |
| Each Single Rank A through 9 | 1 to 9 points | 32 cards per rank | 7.69% each (1 in 13) |
When players shout “Monkey!” during the card squeeze
During a face-down card squeeze, calling for a Monkey happens in two specific moments:
- Peeling the second card alongside an 8 or 9: If a player turns over the first card and sees an
8or9, any zero-value second card locks in an immediate two-card Natural 8 or Natural 9 (whereas drawing a 2 alongside an 8 drops the modulo-10 total to0). Because 4 of every 13 ranks are worth zero, the chance of pairing an opening 8 or 9 with a zero-value card is roughly 30.8%. - Peeling a third card when one side already leads or holds a high total: Or, conversely, when the opposing side draws a third card that could improve a low two-card total of
0,1, or2, bettors on the leading side call “Monkey!” hoping the third card adds zero points.
Table folklore vs verified casino usage
Casino folklore offers several stories for how English-speaking pits landed on the word “Monkey”—ranging from playful descriptions of the royal portraits on Anglo-American court cards to bilingual wordplay alongside Cantonese 公仔牌 (gung1 zai2 paai2, figure cards). While no single origin story is documented in early rulebooks, the table usage itself is identical across every major gaming capital: shouting “Monkey!” asks for a picture frame (or a zero-value 10) that leaves the current hand total untouched.
Where to go next
Learn how long-edge pip patterns work in our Baccarat Squeeze (Mi Paai) Guide, master modulo-10 scoring in our Complete Beginner's Guide to How to Play Baccarat, check our Essential Baccarat Terms & Slang Guide, or return to the A–Z Baccarat Glossary.
Frequently Asked Questions: Monkey (Zero-Value Card)
Browse all 500+ student FAQs →- What cards count as a Monkey in baccarat?
- Monkey is casino table slang for any zero-value card under baccarat modulo-10 rules: 10s, Jacks, Queens, and Kings. In Cantonese gaming rooms, court cards (Jack, Queen, King) are specifically referred to as gung zai paai (公仔牌) or picture cards.
- What percentage of a baccarat shoe consists of zero-value Monkey cards?
- In a standard 8-deck shoe of 416 cards, there are 128 zero-value cards (32 tens, 32 jacks, 32 queens, and 32 kings). This means 4 out of every 13 cards—or exactly 30.77% of the entire shoe—carry a point value of zero.
- Why do players shout Monkey when squeezing their second card?
- When a player's first face-down card reveals an 8 or a 9, pairing it with any zero-value card secures an immediate two-card Natural 8 or Natural 9. Because 30.77% of the shoe has a zero value, calling for a Monkey is the call to lock in that high opening total.
- How does a court-card Monkey differ from a ten during the card squeeze?
- A court card displays a solid picture-frame border line on the very first millimeter of the peel, confirming a zero-value card immediately. In contrast, a 10 displays Four-Side pips along the long edge, requiring the player to peel into the center lane to distinguish it from a 9.
- Do Monkey cards appear on baccarat derived roads?
- Individual card values like Monkey cards never appear directly on scoreboards. Scoreboards record only finished hand outcomes. On derived roads, red does not mean Banker and blue does not mean Player; marks describe whether Big Road column heights repeat or break.
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Related Glossary Terms
Browse all 100 A–Z terms →The 10, Jack, Queen, and King of every suit, all of which carry a point value of zero in baccarat.
The Macau and VIP baccarat ritual of slowly bending back the short and long edges of a face-down card to reveal its pips one side at a time.
The hand-scoring rule in baccarat where only the rightmost ones digit of a card sum counts (so 7 + 8 = 15 scores as 5).
An initial two-card Player or Banker total of 8 or 9 that immediately ends the hand with no third cards drawn.