seat at the table problem

cpage727

Well-Known Member
#1
here is the problem i found......all the practice counting i've done has been in the seat directly to the dealers left(first one to get delt to)....i think that might be 3rd base? well the first 3 times i went counting i sat in that same seat. well on the 4th day i couldn't find any tables with that seat open so i took a different seat, almost directly accross but not quite , like seat 6 i guess. well sitting there for the first time i kept loosing the count.

has anyone else had problems like this in the begining? should i start doing my practice from other seats? any advice would be great!
 
#2
cpage727 said:
here is the problem i found......all the practice counting i've done has been in the seat directly to the dealers left(first one to get delt to)....i think that might be 3rd base? well the first 3 times i went counting i sat in that same seat. well on the 4th day i couldn't find any tables with that seat open so i took a different seat, almost directly accross but not quite , like seat 6 i guess. well sitting there for the first time i kept loosing the count.

has anyone else had problems like this in the begining? should i start doing my practice from other seats? any advice would be great!
There is no 'best seat', though left of center is a little bit better. Get used to them all. zg
 

cpage727

Well-Known Member
#3
i know that each seat at the table is the same as in how you will do i was just meaning that i am so used to counting from the one certain seat that when i finally took a different seat it screwed up my rythm and i was all out of whack
 

FLASH1296

Well-Known Member
#4
Being seated at 3rd base (last hand to receive cards) is best.

1. You view more cards to include in your count before making your playing decisions.

2. You have the most time to think about your play while waiting for the dealer to reach you.

3. You are seated in such a position where you need not turn your head to see everyone's cards.
 

bjtocki

Well-Known Member
#5
You just need to practice more. I think the 3rd base is the best (casino knows that it's the favorite seat for counters), then 1st base, because I can see all the cards at once, don't have to move my head at all.
 

ihate17

Well-Known Member
#7
I like third base but add one warning

FLASH1296 said:
Being seated at 3rd base (last hand to receive cards) is best.

1. You view more cards to include in your count before making your playing decisions.

2. You have the most time to think about your play while waiting for the dealer to reach you.

3. You are seated in such a position where you need not turn your head to see everyone's cards.

There are dealers whose arms and method of picking up busted hands can make it hard to see the hand of the player at first base if he busts on a hit. An example might be the guy has 13 and the dealer hits him with a 9 or 10 but scoops the hand in such a way that you can not tell, without getting out of your seat and moving to your right, if the bust card was a 9 or a 10.

ihate17
 
#8
I personally like the 2 or 3 spot because it gives me a little bit more time to think + I get cards that are generally closer to what I "accounted" for whereas being at 3rd base in a 5+ player game will get u cards u werent really betting for. Most of my wins have come from those 2 spots as well.
 
#10
21forme said:
I don't care where I sit.

There are some PCs who think all counters sit at third base and wear a hat.
And are young, thin, silently stare at the cards and never drink alcohol.

I do my best to display all of these characteristics. :laugh:
 

ihate17

Well-Known Member
#12
One additional point about seats

Do you sometimes spread to a second hand during a shoe?

If you do and you like to sit at either first base or third base you now have limited your options for spreading to a second hand since you can only go to one side. If you sat anywhere else on the table there might be an opening on either your left or right.

ihate17
 

Canceler

Well-Known Member
#13
Not trying to argue here, but...

ihate17 said:
Do you sometimes spread to a second hand during a shoe?

If you do and you like to sit at either first base or third base you now have limited your options for spreading to a second hand since you can only go to one side.
I had some success at sitting in front of spot 1, but playing spot 2. If someone wanted to sit down anyway, I would just play two spots until they went away. :devil:
 

bjcount

Well-Known Member
#14
Canceler said:
I had some success at sitting in front of spot 1, but playing spot 2. If someone wanted to sit down anyway, I would just play two spots until they went away. :devil:
Ditto.

at 1st base: Hug the end of the table and play the second spot. If someone tries to sneak in at first tell them you play second to make it easier for the dealer coming out of the shoe. If they insist, just move to the first or play two boxes.

at third: play the fifth box sitting infront of third base. Then someone walking by can not tell if you are playing two boxes. Again if they insist, move to third or play two boxes.

The best remedy when your at a table with good company and only two other players is to set it up at the start. Remark to them, everyone is playing two boxes if anyone wants to come in. :grin:

It works everytime, but to answer the original question, I don't have a favorite seat position. Flash's points are valid and taken straight out of a book, I just don't recall which one. Hmmm .. maybe Million Dollar BJ?

BJC
 
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ihate17

Well-Known Member
#15
Not the same thing

Canceler said:
I had some success at sitting in front of spot 1, but playing spot 2. If someone wanted to sit down anyway, I would just play two spots until they went away. :devil:

You are just being devilish here, not giving the space to play to some newcomer to the table. So you play two hands when the situation may not call for two hands but what you are paying to do this is really very small.

My point is that if near the end of a high count shoe I want to get an extra hand in, the chances of doing this from a non corner seat will be twice as good as the chance of doing this from a corner seat, especially if I have only been playing one hand earlier.

ihate17
 

Mimosine

Well-Known Member
#16
as a beginner I found 1st and 3rd to be the best spots to sit at.

1st has the benefit that you can play your hand and then count down the table (while not optimal for index play, it isn't a bad way to practice).

after about 4-5 hours, I was sitting at all seats and learning the nuances of different seats and how to count.

one thing i still seldom do is count the dealers upcard (unless there is an insurance / index decision) until she plays out her hand, that has always been the easiest for me.
 
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