When you break games down, both have some element of skill and some element of guessing. You could even argue that this is even true for elite-level sports. There is often a form of guessing to go along with the years of building up experience and skill. If you are batting in cricket or baseball, for example, you might need to try and guess what the bowler (or pitcher) is going to do next. Sometimes, we all guess wrong.
In casino games, card games, and table games, there is often both guessing and skill involved. This is a contrast to slot games, where the majority of what will happen comes down to pure luck. Let’s dive into some of the games that have an element of both guessing and skill.
Baccarat
Baccarat is mainly a guessing game. It all boils down to the value of two hands that are dealt. One is for the Banker and the other is for the player. Each card has a points value, and to win, you are looking to get the highest points total out of a possible nine.
If you aren’t used to the system and scoring yet, watch a few hands before you delve into live online casino baccarat so you can see exactly how it works. While a huge amount of the game does come down to luck and guessing, some elements of baccarat involve strategy. There is also a skill in knowing what a strong hand is and choosing your betting strategy as a result.
Rummy
There are a lot of variations of this game and the way it is played can vary. There are versions played with different numbers of cards in each hand, for instance. Understand the basic rules and some simple tips before getting started.
While at first glance it looks like all luck, there’s a fair amount of skill involved. Rummy is about making sequences out of your cards including “runs” and “sets”. You are dealt hands initially but need to improve these by discarding one card per round and picking up another, either from a stockpile or from other players’ discarded cards
The first person to turn all of their cards into these combinations or sequences with one card left to discard wins. You can get better at the game by learning to observe what other players are doing, and what they are discarding, for instance. This can teach you what combinations they are looking to make.
Blackjack
This game may be referred to as “21” in other parts of the world. Blackjack is another game that allows you to enact certain strategies and skills, but if you guess wrong with the cards, there’s not a lot you can do about it. For example, your strategy may involve hitting on 12, and while this is often the right thing to do in the end, there are times when you will go bust.
Good blackjack players can regularly do well at the game and sometimes beat the house, but nothing is guaranteed thanks to the element of luck involved. The skills you can build include knowing the chances of winning based on the hands that are dealt and having a gambling strategy.
Minesweeper
A lot of us remember Minesweeper from when it was on virtually every computer under the “Games” section. It is still played by millions online! It can be an infuriating game, partially because it involved luck, no matter how good you were at it.
There is a lot of strategy and skill in working out which squares may contain the mines, using the basic information the puzzle board gives you. However, even if you are amazing at the game, there will be times when you just have to take an educated guess. This means you always need that tiny bit of fortune on your side.
Poker
Poker may be the ultimate combination of guessing and skill. As well as trying to get the strongest hand possible yourself, you are constantly guessing and evaluating what your opponent is likely to be doing. As poker has the element of bluffing involved there is also an additional level of guesswork. You will need to try and work out whether the person you are playing against is being honest or if they are just trying to bluff their way to victory.
The best poker players may look like they are guessing but there is also a lot of skill in working out the strategy of the other players. While many games are about the odds and the cards that are drawn, poker requires more in the way of people skills. Will you guess correctly about the cards your opponent has?
There are very few games that don’t involve any sort of guessing. You could argue that games like chess come down to pure skill, but even then, you may need to guess what the strategy of your opponent is.
These five games have a fascinating combination of skill and strategy but also guessing and fortune.
