Edge Sorting in Baccarat: Techniques, Legality, and Ethics

Edge sorting in baccarat is a technique some players use to gain an advantage in high-stakes games at brick-and-mortar or even at crypto casinos.

By identifying and exploiting subtle differences on the edges of playing cards, skilled players can improve their odds of winning.

Let’s explore how edge sorting in baccarat works and whether it’s a viable strategy for beating the house.

What is Edge Sorting in Baccarat?

A group of players in a casino sitting around a baccarat table, engaging in a game with chips and cards on the table.

Edge sorting is the act where a player determines if a face-down card is likely to have a low or high value at casino table games by observing, determining, and recognizing subtle, unintentional differences on the backs of the cards in play. It must be noted that most casinos have caught on to edge sorting, making the practice more difficult to implement than it already is.

First of all, it takes eagle-eyed vision and years of practice to tell one card from another just by looking at the patterns of their back sides.

However, improbability doesn’t mean edge sorting is impossible. At times during the card manufacturing process, card manufacturers cut cards in a way where more of the pattern appears on one edge than the other.

While most people wouldn’t be able to tell one facedown card from another due to the sub-millimetric differences in patterns, players with hawk-like vision can perceive which among the edges is facing them just before the card is drawn from the shoe in games like baccarat.

This could allow them to infer whether the card has a low value or a high value, and tailor their game and bets accordingly for better odds of winning.

Read more: Baccarat rules explained

How Edge Sorting Works in Baccarat?

Now that we have a better idea of what edge sorting is, let’s see how it actually works in baccarat.

The basic idea behind edge sorting is by recognizing imperfections in the backs of cards, players will have foreknowledge about which cards will be dealt next. In baccarat, players will be keeping an eye on high-value cards such as 6, 7, 8, and 9 to be dealt to the position they wish to bet on while avoiding face cards and lower-value cards altogether.

However, there is more to edge sorting in baccarat than spotting infinitesimal flaws. As mentioned earlier, edge sorting requires the player to manipulate the dealer to rotate cards of a high value 180 degrees in the shoe under the pretence of being superstitious. Otherwise, it’s nigh impossible to implement edge sorting in baccarat successfully.

The ability to identify low cards and high cards might not seem much of an advantage. But it could give a massive 6% advantage over the house—particularly if they could convince the dealer to rotate all 6s, 7s, 8s, and 9s in the shoe, and if the player is able to recognize the cards before or when being dealt.

Legality of Baccarat Edge Sorting

While the lines can be blurry as to whether it can be considered a form of cheating, edge sorting is NOT illegal. Cheating requires some degree of interference with the game. Edge sorting, on the other hand, doesn’t involve the player using special implements or personally sorting the cards by hand, excluding it from the definition of cheating per se.

Nevertheless, while it’s highly unlikely for a player to be prosecuted for edge sorting, their winnings could be withheld by the casino if the house smells something amiss. And based on the celebrated cases that poker icon Phil Ivey caught after a string of edge sorting incidents in 2012, most courts of law appear to side with the casinos in question.

In four visits to the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City and two-day runs at Crockfords in London, Ivey managed to net $9.6 million and $10 million while playing baccarat variant punto banco respectively. Upon further investigation by the casinos involved, Ivey and a companion were found to have employed edge sorting that helped him identify cards based on their patterns. Ivey was open about edge sorting and insisted that it was perfectly fair, but the casinos cried foul and alleged cheating on the poker legend’s part.

Both casinos took Ivey to court, and Ivey lost.

Ultimately, the issue was not with Ivey’s edge sorting and capitalizing on the differences in the card patterns, but with Ivey manipulating the dealer into acquiescing to his demands that gave him the advantage. The Atlantic City Borgata took Ivey to court under the same pretext, until reaching a settlement after a 6-year tussle that saw the casino taking Ivey’s winnings from the 2019 World Series of Poker.

Controversies and Ethical Considerations of Edge Sorting

A close-up of a player's hand placing a stack of chips on a baccarat table, with other players visible in the background.

Edge sorting isn’t technically illegal, and there are still plenty of grey areas on whether it should be considered cheating. Cheating, after all, requires the player to physically manipulate the game to favour them in some way, such as playing craps with loaded dice.

Edge sorting doesn’t rely on the player to manipulate the conduct of the game themselves, but instead relies on taking advantage of vulnerabilities within the casino to gain an advantage beyond the normal rules of the game.

As evidenced by the Ivey case, casinos view the practice as unfair and, in some cases, traversing the line between dishonesty and cheating.

Even if there are exploitable vulnerabilities by accident that observant players can capitalize on, players would be best advised to follow the normal conduct and rules of baccarat. Proponents of edge sorting, on the other hand, believe that the practice is less exploitative and dishonest than most casinos think, viewing edge sorting as more of a skill than doubters believe it to be.

Strategies and Tips for Baccarat Players

Most casinos are aware of edge sorting and have taken steps to prevent such incidents from happening. The best winning strategy for baccarat players is to focus on the following tips to improve their game without having to resort to the murky waters of edge sorting, such as following these three tips.

Manage your bankroll wisely. Baccarat is purely a game of luck; that is, previous results have no bearing on the result of the next game. You will win some bets, and you will lose some bets. Therefore, it is imperative to manage your bankroll wisely, bet in units, take advantage of hot baccarat streaks, set clear limits, and know when to quit when you’re ahead.
Understanding the odds. Understanding your odds in baccarat is the key to playing responsibly. Knowing that every game is virtually a 50-50 coin toss between the banker and the player will keep you grounded in reality and make you less likely to tilt after a bad result.
Be responsible. Responsible gambling is a two-way street and not solely the responsibility of the casino. Players need to abide by the standards of ethical and fair play, whether playing at a physical or online casino. Know when to play, when not to play, and when to stop—before it begins to negatively affect your life.
The martingale system: Another effective strategy in baccarat is the Martingale system. In this method, players double their bet after each loss, aiming to recover all previous losses and achieve a profit equal to the original bet once they win. This strategy is popular in various casino games, including online crypto baccarat at Lucky Block Casino.
Flat Betting Strategy: The flat betting strategy in baccarat involves placing the same wager amount on every hand, regardless of previous wins or losses. This method helps in managing your bankroll and minimizing risks over the long term.

Read more: Baccarat banker bet strategies

Conclusion

Edge sorting is a perfectly legal advantage play technique in baccarat—-if you have the “stroke” and the high roller status to get the casino you wish to play in to acquiesce with the myriad of demands needed to make it work.

The main hurdle in this strategy is to persuade the dealer to rotate the cards and shuffle the deck in a way that the cards don’t rotate again. Casino dealers are increasingly trained to identify potential edge sorting. It also needs you to have impeccable vision to detect imperfections in card patterns to spot betting opportunities.

Ultimately, while edge sorting may sound straightforward in principle, in practice, it is extremely difficult to pull it off if you aren’t Phil Ivey.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is edge sorting cards illegal?

Edge sorting baccarat per se is NOT illegal, and the jury is still out on whether it qualifies under the definition of cheating. Edge sorting doesn’t require you to manipulate the game yourself, but in some jurisdictions, it is seen as an unfair advantage outside the normal rules of baccarat.

Can edge sorting be used in online baccarat?

No. While you can use the same strategies to win more baccarat games online, you can’t request the online casino dealer to rotate cards just because you asked them to. While most casinos are 100% aware of edge sorting nowadays, the best place to test it out is in a physical casino.

What are the risks of edge sorting in a casino?

Like baccarat card counting, baccarat edge sorting is NOT illegal regardless of what a casino says. However, they CAN ask you to leave the premises and ban you from playing further if they detect potential edge sorting.