First Baseman – The player sitting at a table who receives his cards first. Third Baseman – The player who receives his cards from the dealer last. If standing behind the active players, the third baseman is the person seated farthest to the left. Don't fall victim to this and scope out the table before you sit down. Start with the obvious and make sure you are on a standard blackjack game. Then, read the table limits for the minimum and maximum you can bet in each hand. Feb 14, 2014 Imagine it like a baseball field. You first run to first base, then second, then third, and then home. It is exactly like this for blackjack too. The first person the dealer deals to (usually on his/her left) or the far right of the table is first.
Mathematically, where you sit at the blackjack table won’t affect the house edge. Regardless of where a player sits at the table, the casino has the same advantage over time. In the short term, you might see some specific moves that change the outcome but that tends to even out over time. Having said that many blackjack players have preferences on the best place to sit.
I’m a flexible blackjack player and don’t have much of a preference of where to sit. First base, third base, and shortstop all work depending on mood and who’s playing blackjack. Let’s look at the different positions at the blackjack table and discuss.
First Base: This seat is named because it’s the first player to see cards at the blackjack table. First base is located next to the shoe to the right of the table. Since players here are the first to receive a card and the first to act each hand they feel control over the table. Some players choose this seat because they’re experienced and don’t want another player affecting the cards they see. Other players simply like to make the first move.
Third Base: This is the last seat from the shoe on the left side of the table. Third base is sometimes seen as the gatekeeper of the table. They’re the last player to act before the dealer sees their cards. In theory, they have some control over the cards the dealer sees. This player sometimes thinks that they have power over the dealer’s hand by making the right or wrong play.
Sit At The Table Meaning
Shortstop: This seat is located right in the center of the table. Shortstop doesn’t have much control of the cards other players see since there are usually players on either side. However, this player might have the most “control” of the table. This player can be positioned to possibly dissuade other players from sitting in the other position at the table.
Does Seat Position Matter?
Sit At The Same Table
We know that other players and seat position over time won’t change the house edge of a blackjack game. So, does seat position matter? No, and yes.
Seat position doesn’t change the game over time. Where a player sits doesn’t matter to the math over time. In the short term, you might see different cards depending on who’s sitting at the table and where you’re sitting. Depending on how many people are at the table you can see more than 100 hands per hour so the positive and negative have a good chance of evening out quicker than you think.
Card counters might prefer sitting at the third base position. This spot at the table gives the player the most time to pay attention and count other players hands. On the other side, counters might prefer getting cards quicker since they spread bets based on the count. Waiting for cards at third base could change the count. The casinos know this and might make it easier for them to catch players counting.
Sit At The Table
Many recreational players have recency bias and might have a problem with other players not using correct basic strategy. Sitting at first base might allow someone to feel comfortable since they see cards first. Meanwhile, third base might be better for someone who’s concerned about the cards the dealer plays. Sit wherever you feel most comfortable at the blackjack table.