Del. Choosing a Seat at the Blackjack Table

| 27.09.15 | 0 Comments

Blackjack is the most famous of all casino card games. It’s the game that offers the best chance of winning, its low house edge and proven strategies bringing all kinds of optimistic casino goers to the blackjack table hoping to take the house down. But where is the best place to sit at a blackjack table?

The First Seat at the Table

The blackjack dealer deals out the cards from left to right, so the player in the first-base seat will receive their cards first. Once the other players have their cards, the action is back to the first seat. The dealer will be waiting on the player to hit, stand, split, double down or fold on their hand, some players could feel a little pressure in this position, as everyone will be waiting on them to act, potentially forcing the player to play out of pressure. Don’t. You should take as much time as you need!

The Last Seat at the Table

The player sitting in the third-base position (sometimes referred to as the anchor seat) will be the last to act before the dealer. There’s a theory that suggests the third-base seat is the most favourable position at the blackjack table, this is only true if you’re counting cards as you get to see all the cards that have been laid and have a little more thinking time.

The misconception with the third-base position is that you get to control the action. You can potentially save or sacrifice the hands of other players. The seat does come with pressure and sometimes scrutiny (especially if you’re playing at a land-based casino). If you hit on a 16 and take the dealers bust card, then your fellow players will probably throw some abuse your way.

So which Seat do You Pick?

You pick whatever seat looks most comfortable because there is no mathematical advantage in any seating position. If you go into a game armed with the basic strategy in your playing arsenal then it does not make a difference in the outcome of your play.

In the long-run you’re the only one that can influence your game, not someone else in whatever seat. If you’re new to the game blackjack then maybe it’s best to take a seat in a middle position, then you’re free to enjoy the game without being expected to be a sacrificial goat so the rest of the table can win.

If you’re lucky then you’ll be sitting at a table which uses a first-base button that moves to the left after every hand. This is commonly used in blackjack tournaments, making it as fair as possible, and giving all the players peace of mind.

Instead of worrying about where you sit at the table, a much more important consideration is finding the best online casino to play at. Our Top 5 online blackjack casino ranking has in-depth reviews of the leading casinos to help you find exactly what you’re looking for.