Beginners guide to Poker Position

 

By gopoker.com, May 13, 2010

 

Having played for some while one tend to find a favourite seat at the table, and while the actual seat have no impact on your game, your position does. Hence your game strategy should change based on your position. Probably you have heard other players at the table say, "I have position on you" or "I don't like this hand in early position" and most likely you have given no or little thought to the phrases, but early, middle or late position do have an impact and your strategy should reflect your game position.  

 

 

Position

In poker position refers both to where a player sits in reference to other players and to the dealer button. If someone says "I've got position on you" it means he's sitting to your left, and will always (not) act after you, however it is in large dependent on the dealer button, in where the correct position is defined by where a player sits relative to the dealer (button) and whether you'll be first or last to act in a round of betting.

 

 

Dealer Position

Your position at the table is always relative to the dealer (button) for that hand's position. That's one of the reasons the deal rotates around the table in poker, so that everyone gets equal time in every position.

 

Being in the dealer position, or "on the button," is the most desirable position in poker in flop and community card games like Texas Hold'em, since after the flop, the person on the button (dealer) will always be the last to act in each round of betting.

 

You can get away with playing more marginal hands on the button as a result  of this advantage.

 

 

Early Position

Players three seats to the left of the dealer are said to be in "early position." This is considered the worst positions in poker, since you have to act first without knowing how any of the other players are going to play their hands.

 

Because you have to decide whether to fold or raise etc. without information on the other players, it's a good idea to only play strong starting hands at early position.

 

 

Middle Position

Following players in early position we have middle position players, and just as it sounds middle players are in between early and late players. Holding middle position one get to see how the early position players play their hands before you have to act, and while this is an advantage, there is still later position players to follow, that holds and advantage in knowing early players decisions.

 

In general, one can play a little bit looser in middle position than early position, but you still need to be cautious and aware of late position players.

 

 

Late Position

The best position to have in poker is late position, which is defined as the dealer and the players just to the dealers (button) right.

 

Being in late position allows you more information about how the hand is going, as you've seen how the majority of the players at the table has decided to play their cards, and this before you have to make your own decision on whether to call, bet, raise, or fold.

 

Additionally, if no one has placed a bet in a round, the players in late position may win the pot simply by betting any amount, known as the "betting position". However most players know about the betting position and may call a bet as a bluff when the dealer or one before him places bets, still it works often enough that it's worth trying once in a while.

 

 

Strategy

Poker strategy is a comprehensive area and experience often the best school, understanding position is however important, as your strategy need to change dependent on position and starting hand, versus decision of other players and pot odds.

   

The key to making the right play, know your opponents.