Ugh, it never fails. No matter the size of the group, you always seem to get stuck sitting next to someone you’d rather not be — an overtly intoxicated uncle at your brother’s wedding, a co-worker that believes closed-mouth chewing is more suggestion than rule, or the girl you wish you hadn’t started a conversation with at a party.
As this handy infographic from San Francisco-based designer Alex Cornell explains, regardless of the number of chairs or shape of the table, with good timing and a bit of luck, you’ll be able to reliably pick the best seat in the house: