Embrace The "Anchor"

There are usually seven available spots at a typical blackjack table. Of all the seven available positions, it is spot one and seven that tend to dictate the outcome of the hand for the rest of the players.

I am not suggesting that spots two through six are not important. It is that spot number one called the “lead” and spot seven termed the “anchor” are more prone to allowing the house to benefit when a mistake by a player at those two positions are made.



The anchor position can be the most stressful for a player and some people even shy away from playing blackjack at any position close to the anchor more specifically, any spot closest to the left side of the table usually being spots five through seven.

However, what some people do not realize is that playing the game of blackjack at spots five through seven can actually have its advantages. A more intermediate or advanced player has the added benefit of being able to watch the cards as they are dealt out to the players closest to spot one which in turn, can alter their decision as to whether they want to pull a card.

For instance, if a player at a spot closest to the left side of the table is dealt a hand of soft eighteen meaning they are given an Ace and a seven against a dealer's bust card some blackjack players may choose to do double down.

However, if the player is looking for a face card or ten for that matter, and the three players sitting to that players' right are dealt face cards, there is the option to stand knowing that the chances of pulling a face card are now more minimal.

Furthermore, sitting on the left side of the table can have its advantages in terms of watching the cards as they are dealt out when deciding whether to double down in situations where the player may not feel completely comfortable in doing so. If a player sitting at spot five, six, or seven has the option to double down against a dealer's non-bust card, previous face cards can determine how confident a player is when deciding whether the chances of another face card being pulled from the deck are more or less probable.

That being said, when deciding which spot to sit down at when playing the game of blackjack, remember that sitting at spots five through seven will not give you a better chance of winning but at a minimum can sometimes give you a more clear indication of what cards may be coming next.