Should a Beginning Blackjack Player Sit at a Particular Seat?

My daughter will be celebrating her 21st birthday in Las Vegas next month. She's excited to play blackjack for the first time in a real live casinos (we've been playing at home since she learned her numbers through 21) and she knows basic strategy inside and out. I'm staking her, so there's no money pressure. But she's nervous about which seat to sit in. I try to tell her that it doesn't matter, as long as she makes the right play, but she sees on TikTok that some people get mad at other players for messing up the order of the cards. Can you please reassure her that this isn't the case?

Many blackjack players believe 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 "anchor person" does with his or her 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 5 and a player on third base hits his 12, then 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 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 actual orangutans; your personal expected result remains unchanged. Your result is determined by the rules of the game you're playing and your skill level.

Things change, however, 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 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. But when you're talking about casual players, there is no single best seat to improve results. We hope this reassures your daughter.

All that said, we suggest she avoid sitting at third base. People who don't know basic strategy sometimes get mad at players who make the right move with their hand, but good luck explaining to them that they're wrong and you're not. And we can say with some confidence that your daughter is way ahead of the 90% or so of blackjack players who don't know or understand what we've just explained. Ergo, they're almost sure to blame her when they don't agree with her play and something goes wrong for them.

Who needs the added pressure, especially when you're young and a little inexperienced? She should take a seat in the middle, relax, and have a good time at her inaugural run at the house. And please, let us know how it turns out for her.

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Comments

Jon Anderson Oct-03-2025

some well intended advice

try and find a low minimum bet table with the 3-2 bj payout... do just a bit of online research to locate such a place...lva for example...a local's type of casino is probably the best bet and their dealers are usually friendly which would help with nerves...best of luck to her wherever she plays and happy 21st birthday and many more... :)

Kevin Lewis Oct-03-2025

Inevitable

The first time she (correctly) hits a soft 18, one of the other players will shoot her.

Doug Miller Oct-03-2025

Agree with Jon and would add . . .

Another place in Las Vegas that is likely to have 3-2 blackjack at reasonable minimums is downtown, I believe that the El Cortez almost always has 3-2 blackjack at $15 minimum bet, and I suspect that 3-2 blackjack can be found at many other downtown casinos.

Kevin Rough Oct-03-2025

Indian Casinos

See if you can find an Indian casino where the age is only 18.  Let her practice there before she hits Vegas.

Marla Corey Oct-03-2025

Hand signals

I have noticed a weak spot of a newbie's play is knowing the hand signals for stay, hold, split and surrender. And knowing how to tip the dealer is useful. They also need to know the signs need to be made where the "eye in the sky" can see them.

Randall Ward Oct-03-2025

blackjack

good advice, I enjoy it but the other players are often awful. drunk, angry and in a hurry to lose more

Gregory Oct-03-2025

This is why...

i hate blackjack. It's not particularly hard to learn basic strategy, but putting it into practice is tough when you are just starting out.  My Dad loved the game and tried to teach me to play at MGM and Caesars back in the 80s. Those dealers where intimidating. Those "fancy" places had no tolerance for newbies. If you made one wrong move they'd make you feel like you were sitting on a dime.  My father still talks about all those awful 3rd base players that ruined his day, because they wrongly took the dealers bust card. I wish I had a dollar for every time I've heard that story.

steve crouse Oct-03-2025

MY money, my cards.

When someone rags on me when I make a play that doesn't suit them, I simply tell them that I will play my money, and the should play theirs.
It usually works but if it doesn't, the pit boss will straighten them out.

VegasVic Oct-03-2025

Ignorance

So many ignorant people at the tables.  Basic strategy is easy to learn but most don't.  And they compound it by criticizing others.  I used to ignore if someone critiqued my play, now I don't.  And of course sometimes poor players win, which only reinforces their ignorance.

Joseph Oct-03-2025

VegasVic

Just pull the strategy card out of your wallet and hand it to them. Tell them not to talk to you until they know what they are talking about.

Raymond Oct-03-2025

Better to...

...play at tables that pay 3-2.
...play at tables with lower minimums ($10 or $15 rather than $25)
...play at places that are more laid back, like the "locals" casinos or downtown.
...sit in the middle, not at "first base" or "third base".
...put up with self-appointed coaches for a little while, then politely ask them to not advise you.  If they persist, ask the dealer or pit boss to ask the "advisor" to stop.
...ask the other players for help if you need it and they show signs of knowing what they're doing.
...relax, and enjoy the day!

Happy 21st, and good luck!

Kevin Fetterman Oct-03-2025

FKIA

I’ve made a 40 year career of sitting at third base just to piss off the “smart” players who disagree with my decisions. How much more fun can you have than to leave the table after them (they busted and went to the ATM) and come out to the good! About a dozen other players have been asked to leave over the years because they got loud with their opinions. Hope the Birthday girl enjoys her maiden voyage!

O2bnVegas Oct-03-2025

Scope out dealers

Look for friendly dealer, especially not a fast dealing one.  

And do tip.  

And if first time ever, look for a table not full of players yet.  

And a bonus if the other players seem to be friendly, just having a good time.

Honestly, I've seldom played where any other player was nasty. I've read of such but never experienced it.  Just act happy and friendly yourself, congratulate other players for winning hands.  That's what I do, and people seem to remember me, like me at their tables, dealers like me.  And I'm nobody, low player.

Candy

Llew Oct-03-2025

My $.02

- make sure you have your *print* strategy card. Using one on your cell is a big no-no, even if you show it to the pit boss.
- re: locals casinos: some are more “local” than others, as I discovered several years ago when I went on a LVA MRP coupon run.  If the neighborhood- or the casino - make you feel uncomfortable, turn around and leave.
- many years ago, before I discovered poker, BJ was my primary game. One time(in AC), a woman playing at third base was doing *everything* wrong. It was obvious that she didn’t have a clue. But her “wrong” moves were making the entire table winners! At one point, I said to her, “I don’t know what the hell you’re doing, but please, keep doing it!” 🤣

Raymond Ray Oct-04-2025

Bad decisions at third base....

My friend was playing one night and had a nines against a six playing $200. He split them... another nine...splits them nine....splits them...10, 10, 10, ACE. Guy on third base has an ace five. He waives it off. Dealer pulls up a king... Draws a five...21😯😯😯😯😯 My friend loses his mind 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 The guy calls a pit Boss over and asking if he's going to let this guy call me all kinds of names.... His wife turns at him and says "boy you are an idiot for not hitting a six"🤣🤣🤣🤣... The next card out of the shoe was a 10. He cost my friend $1,600 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

David Sabo Oct-06-2025

3rd base for peeking

I've always found third base to also offer the best views forseeing the hole. I'm surprised that this isn't even mentioned....

Question of the Day - 03 October 2025

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