Where You Will Play
If possible, choose a casino that offers the most favorable playing conditions, all other factors being equal. Conditions are determined by comparing such things as rules variations, the number of decks used, table minimums, number of players usually found at the tables, and even the proximity of the casino to your room.
Try not to play at the same establishment all the time, or even regularly. It doesn’t take long for floor people to notice and remember winners. Normally, you can play safely at any casino for short periods of time say, up to an hour without drawing undue attention to yourself, especially during personnel shifts.
Choosing the proper table at which to play can be as important a consideration as some rule restrictions. Surveys have shown, and it has been proven mathematically, that you are generally further ahead playing at a table with the lowest minimum, the fewest players, and where there is a slow-dealing, young, pleasant-mannered female dealer. If the rules are the same, choosing a single- or double-deck game over a shoe is more to the player’s advantage, as explained in chapter 4. Obviously, you will not often find all of these ideal circumstances available, but you can choose a table where the greatest number of them exist.
Try to sit at the first-base spot (the dealer’s extreme left) whenever possible. One reason is that you’ll never have to crane your neck around to view all the other hands while counting, since this position offers an unobstructed view of the whole table. You brand yourself as a counter if you deliberately move to see all cards that come into play.
Another good reason to sit at first base is that you’ll get better cards when the count is high and you have more money out on the table. For example, if the TC is 3 with two decks left, and there are two other players at your table, eight cards must be dealt before any playing decisions are made. You would get the first and fifth cards, while the third player would get the third and seventh. If all the cards are good ones, i.e., T’s and Aces, the count would be negative before the third player received his second card. Better him than you.
This principle applies even more strongly when you’re playing a single- or double-deck game, or when there is a full complement of players at the table. Your chances of getting better cards increase when the count is positive, if you are sitting at the first-base spot. This is more important than your increased probability of receiving small cards when the count is negative, since you will have fewer chips on the table during those times, if you decide to play under such adverse conditions at all.
Some blackjack writers advise sitting at the third-base spot instead, since it allows just as good table viewing while also giving the player more time to think about his plays, which should be appreciated by beginning players and experienced counters alike. It is true that third base sees more cards (especially in shoe games, which are dealt up) before having to make any playing decisions. However, this provides only a very small advantage. The few extra cards seen by the third-base player rarely influence the TC enough to justify a change in playing strategy. Getting better starting totals, i.e., by sitting at first base, is more important than playing your hand according to 100% correct MBS.
Pit bosses and other floor people know that counters often tend to sit at the dealer’s extreme right. Perhaps the most important reason to avoid third base is that these players are indeed noticed more often. You can do without this arbitrary scrutiny. Whether they choose to stand or hit, third-base players always seem to influence the dealer’s third card more directly; therefore, this player attracts attention every time the dealer busts or draws a pat hand. The fact that third base is, consequently, often blamed for a dealer’s good pull makes this spot at the table more prominent. A wise player avoids unnecessary attention of any kind.
