If you’ve ever watched a serious baccarat player in action, you’ve probably noticed them staring intensely at a screen or scorecard, marking tiny circles or symbols after every hand. They’re not just doodling — they’re reading what’s known as a baccarat roadmap.
Roadmaps are baccarat’s secret language — a visual way to track trends, analyze results, and anticipate potential outcomes. For many players, understanding roadmaps is the key difference between random guessing and strategic, pattern-driven betting.
This guide will explain everything you need to know about baccarat roadmaps — what they mean, how to read them, and how to use them to predict patterns and improve your game.
What Are Baccarat Roadmaps?
บาคาร่า roadmaps are visual scorecards that record past game outcomes. Each roadmap represents a unique way of organizing Banker, Player, and Tie results across rounds.
These charts don’t guarantee future results (since baccarat outcomes are independent), but they help players spot patterns and develop confidence in timing bets — especially during streaks or shifts in shoe momentum.
In land-based and online casinos, these roadmaps appear either:
- On a digital display at the table, or
- As paper scorecards given to players with pencils.
They show trends that experienced players interpret like stock charts — using rhythm, repetition, and changes in flow to plan their next move.
The Philosophy Behind Roadmaps
To understand roadmaps, you must understand how baccarat’s rhythm works.
Each shoe (a set of shuffled decks) often displays streaks — clusters of Banker or Player wins. Sometimes the results alternate predictably, other times one side dominates for many rounds.
Roadmaps don’t predict which card will come next. Instead, they show how results evolve, giving players a sense of flow or imbalance. It’s similar to how traders read price movement: the past doesn’t determine the future, but it reveals useful context.
The Five Main Types of Baccarat Roadmaps
There are five primary roadmaps used across casinos worldwide:
- Bead Plate (Bead Road)
- Big Road
- Big Eye Boy
- Small Road
- Cockroach Pig (or Cockroach Road)
Each serves a slightly different purpose, helping players read results from multiple perspectives — from simple sequences to deeper statistical comparisons.
Let’s break each one down clearly.
Bead Plate (Bead Road) — The Foundation Roadmap
Overview
The Bead Plate (also called Bead Road or Bead Plate Board) is the simplest roadmap and the easiest for beginners. It records each hand’s result in the order they occur, showing who won (Banker or Player), and whether a Tie or Pair appeared.
How It Looks
It’s a grid made up of six rows and many columns. Each cell represents one hand’s outcome:
- Red circle: Banker win
- Blue circle: Player win
- Green slash or dot: Tie
- Small marks: Banker Pair (red dot) or Player Pair (blue dot)
The results fill top to bottom, left to right. When the first column is full, a new one starts to the right.
How to Use It
Bead Plate shows the raw history — no pattern filtering. It’s great for beginners to track general flow:
- Consecutive reds = Banker streak.
- Consecutive blues = Player streak.
- Mixed colors = Alternating trend.
Players use this board to decide whether the shoe is “Banker-heavy” or “Player-heavy.”
Big Road — The Core of All Roadmaps
Overview
The Big Road (Da Lu in Chinese) is the main roadmap — the base for the more advanced ones (Big Eye Boy, Small Road, Cockroach Pig). It simplifies the Bead Plate by focusing only on Banker vs. Player wins and visually displaying streaks.
How It Works
- The first hand result starts at the top-left.
- If the next result is the same (e.g., Banker again), the marker goes down one cell in the same column.
- If it switches (e.g., from Banker to Player), the next mark starts in a new column to the right.
- The pattern continues this way.
Symbols and Colors
- Red circle: Banker win
- Blue circle: Player win
- Green dash: Tie (drawn through the previous circle)
Example Pattern
Column 1: Banker, Banker, Banker
Column 2: Player, Player
Column 3: Banker, Banker, Banker, Banker
This pattern visually forms vertical stacks — a clear, easy-to-read representation of streaks.
How to Interpret
- Tall columns: Strong streaks (momentum).
- Alternating columns: Chaotic or balanced shoe.
- Sudden color switches: Trend reversals.
Practical Tip
Many professionals base their strategy around the Big Road — it’s the cleanest visualization of game flow.
Big Eye Boy — The Pattern Analyzer
Overview
The Big Eye Boy (Da Yan Lu) doesn’t show outcomes directly. Instead, it analyzes the consistency of patterns in the Big Road — it’s a trend analyzer, not a results chart.
How It’s Built
- It starts after the first result in the second column of the Big Road.
- It compares the structure of columns to determine if results are consistent (stable) or random (chaotic).
Symbols and Meanings
- Red circle: Predictable pattern (stable shoe)
- Blue circle: Irregular or inconsistent pattern
Interpretation
- Long streak of red circles → stable trend (momentum may continue).
- Many blue circles → volatile shoe (expect reversals).
How to Use It
Players often refer to Big Eye Boy to decide whether to follow or break a trend.
If the shoe is “stable” (lots of red), continue with the current flow.
If it turns “blue,” prepare for possible shifts.
Small Road — The Momentum Tracker
Overview
The Small Road (Xiao Lu) is a secondary trend chart, similar to Big Eye Boy, but it starts later in the Big Road (after the third column) and uses different comparison logic.
Colors and Purpose
- Red circle: Predictable follow pattern
- Blue circle: Unstable or change pattern
The Small Road refines the Big Eye Boy by detecting shorter-term stability or volatility — useful for mid-shoe decisions.
Player Use
When the Small Road turns consistently red, many players double down following the streak.
When it switches blue, they reduce bets or pause to reassess.
Cockroach Pig — The Subtle Trend Map
Overview
The Cockroach Pig (Zhu Pan Lu) is the third derivative roadmap — often the hardest to read. It starts tracking after the fourth column of the Big Road and highlights micro-trends that experienced players love to monitor.
Colors and Meanings
- Red slash (⧸): Repetition or continued pattern
- Blue slash (⧹): Disruption or irregular pattern
Function
Cockroach Pig doesn’t care about winners — it visualizes the texture of results.
When it turns all red, the shoe is behaving in a predictable, flowing rhythm.
When it turns blue, chaos is creeping in.
How the Five Roadmaps Work Together
Each roadmap tells a slightly different story:
| Roadmap | Focus | Used For |
| Bead Plate | Exact result history | Basic tracking |
| Big Road | Banker vs Player streaks | Trend following |
| Big Eye Boy | Consistency analysis | Pattern stability |
| Small Road | Short-term consistency | Momentum confirmation |
| Cockroach Pig | Micro trend visualization | Predictive fine-tuning |
Secret of Interpretation
Professional players don’t read just one — they read all five together like instruments in a symphony.
When several roadmaps “agree” (e.g., all showing red dominance), it signals a high-confidence trend worth following.
When they diverge (e.g., some red, some blue), it’s time to tread carefully.
Step-by-Step Example of Reading Roadmaps
Let’s go through a practical sequence:
Scenario
You’re 30 hands into a shoe. The Big Road shows:
- 4-column Banker streaks
- 2-column Player interruptions
- Few ties
The Big Eye Boy shows:
- Mostly red circles (stable pattern)
The Small Road:
- Alternating red and blue (some instability).
The Cockroach Pig:
- Switching to red again (re-alignment).
Interpretation
The shoe is trending stable toward Banker dominance but with occasional volatility.
Action
- Bet small when blue indicators appear (chaotic phase).
- Increase bets when multiple roadmaps turn red again — confirming pattern continuation.
This is how professionals maintain rhythm — reading trends like waves, entering at the right time, and withdrawing before reversal.
Common Patterns and How to Identify Them
- a) Streak Pattern
When Banker or Player wins repeatedly (e.g., B-B-B-B-B).
- Big Road: Long vertical column.
- Strategy: Follow the streak until it breaks.
- b) Chop Pattern
When wins alternate consistently (B-P-B-P-B-P).
- Big Road: Multiple short columns.
- Strategy: Alternate bets, staying nimble.
- c) Zigzag Pattern
Irregular alternation; sometimes repeats twice before switching (B-B-P-P-B-B).
- Strategy: Use smaller bets; observe before committing.
- d) Clusters and Breaks
Two or three Banker wins followed by one Player win repeatedly (B-B-P-B-B-P…).
- Strategy: Identify cluster rhythm; bet on continuation until reversal signs appear.
- e) Shoe Reversal
When a strong streak suddenly flips — Banker dominance gives way to Player runs.
- Strategy: Pause, wait for confirmation, then follow new momentum.
Predicting Patterns — The Realistic Approach
Let’s be clear: baccarat roadmaps don’t predict the future with certainty.
Instead, they help identify statistical tendencies.
If you see:
- Big Road → Long Banker streaks
- Big Eye Boy → Mostly red (stable)
- Small Road → Matching red pattern
That combination strongly implies the shoe will continue behaving predictably. That’s when pattern-based betting has the highest probability of success.
However, once those charts turn blue or fragmented, the smart player steps back or resets — because chaos is entering the game.
Advanced Pattern Recognition Strategies
Strategy 1: “Follow the Flow”
When all major roadmaps (Big Road, Big Eye Boy, Small Road) align red for several hands, continue betting on the current dominant side.
Stop immediately when blue appears.
Strategy 2: “Two-in-a-Row Confirmation”
Wait for two consistent outcomes (e.g., Banker twice). Bet on the third being the same. Works best in stable shoes.
Strategy 3: “Chaos Filter”
If Big Eye Boy and Small Road both turn blue, reduce bet size or skip hands. Wait until red dominance returns before resuming normal bets.
Strategy 4: “Reversal Entry”
When multiple roadmaps switch from red to blue simultaneously, it often signals a trend break. Wait one or two hands to confirm, then follow the new side cautiously.
Common Mistakes in Using Roadmaps
- Assuming Roadmaps Guarantee Wins — they don’t. They only visualize probabilities.
- Reading Too Soon — wait for several hands before drawing conclusions.
- Ignoring Tie Hands — while ties don’t affect the pattern, they can disrupt flow; skip the next round after ties.
- Overbetting on Streaks — even stable shoes reverse eventually.
- Using Only One Roadmap — multiple charts give a clearer picture.
Combining Roadmaps with Money Management
Even the best pattern recognition means nothing without bankroll discipline.
Follow these principles:
- Set a session target (e.g., +30 %).
- Limit yourself to 5–10 pattern entries per shoe.
- Adjust bet size based on confidence level (e.g., 1 unit normal, 2 units strong signal).
- Walk away when you reach your stop-win or stop-loss boundary.
The smartest baccarat players merge data from roadmaps with precise bankroll control.
Practice Makes Perfect
You can’t master baccarat roadmaps overnight. Fortunately, online casinos provide free-play modes that include full roadmap displays.
Spend time watching and logging results:
- Identify when roadmaps turn red or blue.
- Note how long streaks last.
- Practice entering and exiting at ideal points.
After a few shoes, you’ll naturally start feeling the flow — recognizing momentum shifts the way experienced traders sense market turns.
Why Casinos Encourage Roadmap Use
Casinos don’t hide roadmaps — they encourage them. Why?
Because baccarat thrives on engagement. Players who analyze results stay longer and bet more confidently.
But ironically, these tools also empower skilled players to reduce risk and play smarter. That balance is what makes baccarat fascinating — it rewards intelligence without ever losing its suspense.
Responsible Use of Patterns
Even when you read the roadmaps perfectly, never forget: baccarat is still a game of probability.
Use patterns as guides, not guarantees. Stay calm, skip erratic shoes, and treat every prediction as a hypothesis, not a certainty.
The goal isn’t perfection — it’s consistency.
Quick Reference Summary: Roadmap Reading
| Roadmap | Color Meaning | Purpose |
| Bead Plate | Red = Banker, Blue = Player, Green = Tie | Record of raw outcomes |
| Big Road | Red = Banker, Blue = Player | Visualize streaks |
| Big Eye Boy | Red = Stable, Blue = Unstable | Detect long-term trend strength |
| Small Road | Red = Short-term stable, Blue = Short-term unstable | Confirm momentum |
| Cockroach Pig | Red = Smooth flow, Blue = Disturbance | Fine-tune predictions |
Tip: When 3+ roadmaps show “red,” the shoe is stable — a high-confidence betting zone.
Final Thoughts: Turning Data into Discipline
Reading บาคาร่า roadmaps isn’t about magic — it’s about logic. Each circle or slash tells a part of the story. When combined, those stories reveal rhythm — the pulse of the shoe.
By learning how to read roadmaps and respect their signals, you transform random guessing into a structured, strategic experience.
You’ll know when to follow, when to pause, and most importantly, when to walk away ahead.
Baccarat is a game of balance — between chaos and control, intuition and mathematics.
Mastering its roadmaps is like learning to read the tides of fortune — and once you can read them, you’ll never look at the game the same way again.
