Ask-Road (Next-Hand Inquiry)
Also called: Next-Hand Inquiry · B? / P? Table · Man Lou
Ask-Road (問路, man6 lou6, literally 'asking the road') is the two-row inquiry table on an electronic scoreboard labeled B? and P?. Before the next hand is dealt, it previews the exact red or blue hollow ring (Big Eye Boy), solid dot (Small Road), and slash (Cockroach Pig) that will appear if Banker wins versus if Player wins.
What Ask-Road (問路) means on a Macau scoreboard
Ask-Road (問路, man6 lou6 in Cantonese, literally “asking the road”) is the two-row next-hand inquiry panel displayed in the corner of every electronic baccarat scoreboard. Labeled B? (If Banker, 莊問路) on one line and P? (If Player, 閒問路) on the other, it answers a single scoreboard question before the next coup is dealt: “Which color mark will each of the three derived roads record if Banker wins next versus if Player wins next?”
Each row displays three small geometric icons in fixed order: a hollow ring for Big Eye Boy, a solid dot for Small Road, and a diagonal slash for Cockroach Pig—see our visual guide to baccarat scoreboard symbols.
How the B? and P? rows apply Rule 1 and Rule 2
Because a Tie never adds a new circle to the Big Road or derived roads, the next decided hand must do one of two things on the Big Road:
- One side continues the current Big Road column down to Row 2 or lower (Rule 2): For that side, Ask-Road checks the column
1,2, or3columns back across three distinct cases: (1) if that reference column also has a bead at this row, the mark is red (=); (2) if that reference column stopped at the row directly above, the mark is blue (≠); (3) if that reference column stopped more than one row above, the mark is red (=). - The other side starts a brand-new Big Road column at Row 1 (Rule 1): For that side, Ask-Road compares the finished depth of the column that just ended with the column
1,2, or3columns further back: matching depths give red (=), and different depths give blue (≠).
Worked 18-hand Ask-Road example (BPBBPPBBBPBPPBBPTB)
Look at our 18-hand shoe BPBBPPBBBPBPPBBPTB (10 Banker wins, 7 Player wins, and 1 Tie on Hand 17). Hand 18 is a Banker win that just started Column 11 at Row 1 (1 bead deep), right after Columns 8, 9, and 10 finished with depths of 2, 2, and 1:
Bead Plate
Big Road
Big Eye Boy
Small Road
Cockroach Pig
On Hand 19, a Banker win (B?) moves down Column 11 to Row 2 under Rule 2, while a Player win (P?) starts Column 12 at Row 1 under Rule 1. Here is the exact Ask-Road table and plain-English reason for all six preview marks:
| Derived Road & Icon | If Banker (B? — Rule 2 at Row 2) | If Player (P? — Rule 1 at Row 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Big Eye Boy (1 column back) Hollow Ring | BLUE — This bead is at Row 2. Column 10 stopped at Row 1, one row above → blue (≠). | RED — Column 11 has 1 bead. Column 10 has 1 bead. Same depth → red (=). |
| Small Road (2 columns back) Solid Dot | RED — This bead is at Row 2. Column 9 has a bead at Row 2 too → red (=). | BLUE — Column 11 has 1 bead. Column 9 has 2 beads. Different depth → blue (≠). |
| Cockroach Pig (3 columns back) Diagonal Slash | RED — This bead is at Row 2. Column 8 has a bead at Row 2 too → red (=). | BLUE — Column 11 has 1 bead. Column 8 has 2 beads. Different depth → blue (≠). |
Where to go next
Open this exact 18-hand shoe inside the free Baccarat Calculator & Road Decoder, practice all three derived roads simultaneously in the Mixed-Roads Drill, master Module 5 (Scoreboard Synthesis) in our Baccarat Smart Course, or return to the A–Z Baccarat Glossary.
Frequently Asked Questions: Ask-Road (Next-Hand Inquiry)
Browse all 500+ student FAQs →- What does Ask-Road (問路) show on a baccarat scoreboard?
- Ask-Road, labeled B? and P? on electronic displays, is a two-line preview table that shows what color mark will be recorded on Big Eye Boy, Small Road, and Cockroach Pig if Banker wins versus if Player wins on the next hand.
- Why do the B? and P? rows show opposite colors on started derived roads?
- One outcome continues the current Big Road column downward under Rule 2, while the other outcome starts a brand-new Big Road column at Row 1 under Rule 1. Because continuing a column checks different structural conditions than starting a new column, the two outcomes produce opposite color results on every started derived road.
- How does Rule 1 evaluate a next-hand Ask-Road preview?
- Under Rule 1, when a prospective hand starts a new Big Road column at Row 1, Ask-Road compares the depth of the column that just ended with the column 1, 2, or 3 columns back. If both columns reached the exact same depth, the preview mark is red; if their depths differ, the preview mark is blue.
- How does Rule 2 evaluate a next-hand Ask-Road preview across its three cases?
- Under Rule 2, when a prospective hand moves down to Row 2 or lower in the current column, Ask-Road checks the reference column 1, 2, or 3 columns back: a bead at that row gives red; stopping one row above gives blue; and stopping two or more rows above gives red.
- What are Ghost Beads on the Baccarat Smart Road Decoder?
- In the free Road Decoder calculator, Ghost Beads are translucent preview markers labeled B and P placed directly on the derived-road grids. They show the exact bead position and color where the next mark will land under either outcome, helping students practice before testing in the Mixed-Roads Speed Drill.
Practice This Concept in Baccarat Smart
All reference definitions are free across the site. In the course, every concept is organized in step-by-step order with 74 interactive boards, 94 inline checks, and 13 practice drills.
Related Glossary Terms
Browse all 100 A–Z terms →The casino display or paper grid showing the five standard baccarat roads—Bead Plate, Big Road, Big Eye Boy, Small Road, and Cockroach Pig.
The first derived road in baccarat, drawn with hollow red and blue rings by comparing the Big Road 1 column back.
The second derived road in baccarat, drawn with solid red and blue dots by comparing the Big Road 2 columns back.
The third derived road in baccarat, drawn with red and blue diagonal slashes by comparing the Big Road 3 columns back.
A translucent B or P preview mark rendered on a derived-road grid in the Road Decoder showing where the next mark will land.