What's the Best Seat at a Blackjack Table?

Most blackjack players think that the most important position at the table is the one that's last to act. At a full table, that's the seat farthest left as you face the dealer, or the "third base" position.

Why? Because what that "anchorman" does with his hand will determine which card the dealer gets if he has to draw. As the conventional wisdom goes, a "bad" player who hits his hand when he shouldn't might take the dealer's bust card. Example: The dealer shows a 5 and a player on third base hits his 12 and busts with a 10. The dealer then turns a 10 in the hole and draws a 6 for 21.

So what happened here? The bad player took the 10 that was supposed to go to the dealer and screwed up the hand for everyone, right?

Wrong. Of course, that's the way it seems. But the reality is, the cards about to be dealt could just as easily have been reversed, meaning that the incorrect play would have saved the entire table. This happens all the time, but our selective memories don't catalog it.

It's not just third base. Mathematical studies indicate that the skill levels of all of the players combined on a table make no difference to your expectation. That is, it doesn't matter whether you're playing at a table full of world-class card counters or a bunch of real-life monkeys; your personal expected result remains unchanged. What determines your result are the rules of the game you're playing and your own skill level.

Things change when an expert is involved. Card counters, for example, often choose the last seat because it lets them see the maximum number of cards before they have to make playing decisions. And a hole-carder (a player trying to see the dealer's concealed card) may want a specific seat because it offers the best view. When you're talking about casual players, though, no single best seat will improve results.

One seat should be avoided, however. Believe it or not, it's the very one we've been discussing, third base. The reason is that 99% of blackjack players don't know or understand what's just been explained here. And that means they're almost sure to blame you when they don't agree with your play and something goes wrong.

Who needs the added pressure? Take a seat in the middle.

Comments

Dave in Seattle. Apr-30-2017

Black jack seat choices.

I usually avoid third base or first base because it's harder to see all of the cards that were played,usually.
Next to the first to play players is a much better choice or next to third base.
If the table is a little tight to get into(Read large players),there is a lot more room at first and third.
Also,I'm a 'smoker' and it's easier to sit at first or third to be less offensive to the other players.In addition,there is just more ROOM at first and third for your chips,drink and an ashtray.
  Many times,the PB will ask to dump your ash tray and you get a chance to see their(small name tag) names and say "Hi".
  If you sit next to 3rd base and third base player leaves,YOU become third base.