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After you find one or more casinos that have everything that you are looking for, look around for a comfortable table. There are different factors to look at when evaluating a table, and you may have to move a few times as conditions change and people sit down or leave, but you will enjoy your playing sessions more if you follow a few general guidelines.
Unless you absolutely do not know how to play a single-deck game or the dealers are very slow, you should always try to play at tables that use fewer decks. The house edge is diminished in single- and double-deck games, which allows you to play very close to an even game. However, if these tables are crowded, the minimums are too high, or you are uncomfortable with the style of play, find a different game.
Some players prefer slower dealers, and some players prefer faster dealers. There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of games. The slower dealers are more likely to give you time to think out your playing decisions, which can really help if it takes you a while to remember the correct basic strategy moves. Faster dealers will deal more hands per hour, which can be great if you are winning, but a fast dealer can wipe out your bankroll during a bad streak if you aren’t paying attention. Faster dealers may also rush you during your turns to act, and this can cause you to make stupid mistakes that you wouldn’t otherwise make. During your practice sessions, determine whether you prefer faster or slower deals, and then take your preference into account when you look for a table.
You should generally look for tables with fewer players, but that is not always an option during busy nights. You might also enjoy the social experience of playing at crowded tables. Regardless, try to find a table that has players who look like they are there to play for a while. If you see someone with only a few chips, he or she is likely to play erratically, making moves that the crowd might perceive as costing the other players at the table their money. A good table will typically have a few players who are betting moderately, have decent-sized chip stacks, and are sitting down instead of standing—players who are standing may be prone to leave and come back, causing disruption or disjointed play at the table.
You do not always have to start playing as soon as you find a table. Some places, like Atlantic City, might not even allow you to start playing in the middle of the shoe. Given the way that card distribution works, a shoe can stay relatively neutral, go well in the beginning and bad in the end, or go badly in the end and well in the beginning. If you see that a shoe is mostly dealt, and all of the players say that the dealer has been winning every hand for most of the shoe, there may be a high concentration of good cards left. In a situation like this, jumping in toward the end might work in your favor. Conversely, if you see a bunch of big cards come out and players winning early in a shoe, you should wait until the decks are reshuffled before sitting down to play.