The Scorecards in Baccarat

Question:  I read that Baccarat is not only one of the best games to play in the casino, but also one of the most simple.  When I went to try it, I found that many people were using scorecards and tracking the results in various ways.  When I saw that, I was too scared to play and walked away.  Can you tell me what's up with those scorecards?

You're right, Baccarat (and all smaller versions of the game) is an easy game to play, and also has a relatively low house edge.  I assume you already understand how the game is played, so I won't discuss that here (although this information may be given in a future article, if requested).  About those scorecards...

Some casinos have provided scorecards to players so that they can keep track of the outcomes of the hands.  Also, some casinos have history boards that display the results of the most recent hands.  These are similar to the history boards that are popular in Roulette.

Players like to keep track of previous hands in different ways.  Most everybody who does this looks for trends by tracking which hand wins - either the Banker or Player.  But many people also like to record the exact values of the Banker/Player hands.  There is no "right way" to keep score, and you can use these scorecards any way you like.

However, keeping track of results, or even counting cards in Baccarat has not yet proved to be of any help when deciding whether to bet on the Banker, Player, or the Tie.  Casinos only offer scorecards to accommodate their superstitious players, or those who believe that past results can predict future results.

Keeping track of the outcomes is a waste of time - you don't have to do it even though everybody else at the table is.  The next time you walk up to a Mini-Baccarat game, don't be intimidated by what other players are doing, or how they are betting.  When it comes to deciding if the Banker or Player will win the next hand, your guess will be as good as theirs.

Do you have a topic or question related to casino gaming that you'd like to see discussed on this blog?  Send me an email at FogOfGambling@gmail.com and let me know!