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In a poker game, you may have heard a lot about position and how it affects one’s gameplay during a hand. Poker position refers to a player’s seating position on a poker table in relation to the dealer button. The dealer button is a small disc that moves clockwise one spot to the left on the table after the completion of a hand. It indicates the player who is the dealer for the current hand in play.
Therefore, all player positions in poker can be identified by the location of the Dealer button. That being said, a player can occupy several positions in a poker game. These positions are important because they can affect a player’s strategy and decision making during a hand.
Here, we will talk about each player position and their significance in a poker game. Let’s begin.
In a poker game, the seating positions of players are identified by the location of the dealer button. As the dealer button moves one spot clockwise after each hand, the position of each player moves accordingly.
These positions are typically classified into three groups: Early Position, Middle Position and Late Position. Let’s check them out one by one.
Early position refers to the players who post the Big Blind and the Small Blind. It also includes the first two to three players who are seated to the left of the big blind and must act first in the betting rounds.
The player position to the immediate left of the big blind is called ‘Under the Gun’. (UTG). This position can also include the player next to the UTG in games that include more than 6 players.
Middle position refers to the players who are seated between the early and late positions. It includes the next two or three seats to the immediate left of the early positions (Under the Gun). In a full ring poker game (more than 6 players), there can be up to three middle positions known as the Hijack, Lojack and MP1.
As the name suggests, these are the players who act last in the hand. In a nine handed game, late position includes the dealer, and the two players to the immediate right of the dealer (cutoff), and the hijack seat. In short handed games including six or fewer players, the hijack would fall under Middle Position.
The position a player holds in a poker game can have a major impact in decision making and strategy. That's because there are many advantages and disadvantages of playing from different positions. That said, experienced poker players often play most of their hands from late positions, some from middle position, and very few from early positions.
Let’s find out the reasons for choosing to do so.
Early position in poker is considered the most vulnerable of all positions because players in these positions carry the least amount of information about their opponent’s hands. This can make it difficult to make strong and confident decisions. When in an early position, you are more likely to face raises and re-raises from those in late positions and often end up in tough spots.
Additionally, being in early positions gives you lesser control over the pot. You are the first to act, therefore, you do not have the luxury to witness how other players act before making your own move.
When you have a strong hand, you may choose to bet or raise to build the pot, but at the same time, you risk scaring off your opponents or being outplayed by players in late positions.
So, unless you have a premium hand such as AA or KK to bet on, choose to check or fold your cards if someone raises you. The best strategy in early position is to play very tight and strong hands only.
Middle position in poker is tricky and can be advantageous or disadvantageous depending on the specific situation and the type of players involved in the hand. If we speak of benefits, you certainly have more information here than in the early position and can still win big pots if you hit a strong hand. You also have the opportunity to bluff or semi-bluff strategically depending on the available information in front of you.
On the other hand, those playing from a late position can still outplay you. Therefore, you need to be more cautious with marginal hands. If a player raises you in an early position, it becomes more costly for you to stay in the hand. As such, developing a strategy in the middle position can be tricky as there are still players behind you who are yet to act and it is likely for one of them to have a stronger hand.
All in all, this implies that while you have more flexibility and information compared to being in early position, you must still play with caution and be wary of players who will act after you. So, if you have someone playing aggressively before you, play tight. If those acting after you are playing tight, become more aggressive.
Without contest, this is the most advantageous and fun position for a player for several reasons. Firstly and most importantly, you have more information in late position on most of the players who have acted before you. This allows you to make informed decisions and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Secondly, there are times when you are drawing hands on the board, you would rather avoid paying to see the next card post flop. When you are in a late position, you have the opportunity to see more free cards if your opponent checks to see the next community card. By getting to acting last, you also have the perfect opportunity to bluff with any hole cards if your opponent shows weakness.
Thirdly, playing from a late position allows you to control the size of the pot. If you wish to play a small pot and your opponent checks, you can check as well and see more free cards. If your opponent raises, you can simply call and close the action. If you want to build the pot, raise it when it is your turn.
Last but not the least, playing from a late position allows you to steal blinds frequently. When the action ends with you, you can raise to try and steal the blinds from those who may have weaker hands.
By now, you may have a general idea of the importance of using table position in poker to your favor. However, playing in position to your advantage involves several strategies and adjusting them depending on the specific situation and the type of players involved in the hand.
Let’s breeze over the most favorable strategies you can apply when playing from various positions in Poker.
To conclude, using table position in poker to your advantage demands a combination of careful observation, strategic thinking and willingness to adjust your game based on your table position.
We know that the Dealer button moves clockwise after each hand allowing each player to enjoy equal opportunity to play from all the positions. This bluntly discloses the fact that position does matter in poker. By mastering the use of table position, you can fairly increase your chances of winning in any game of Poker.
♣ How can you effectively utilize position to your advantage in poker? What strategies can you employ when you have late position versus early position?
Position is one of the most important factors to be able to be a winning player in poker. Since we have less information about what other players are holding, it's best to play a tighter range of hands in early position. Stick to most premium hands like big pocket pairs, AK, AQ, and high suited connectors to play from early position.
Some of the most important mistakes to avoid from early position are as follows:
Avoid limping: When you're in an early position, you should avoid limping (i.e. calling the big blind) with marginal hands. Limping can put you in a difficult position post-flop, so it's better to either raise or fold.
Avoid marginal calls: In general, when you're in an early position, it's better to fold marginal hands rather than calling raises from players in later positions. This is because you won't have a good idea of what other players are holding, and you don't want to risk your chips on a hand that might be dominated.
Avoid bluffing: Bluffing is generally not recommended when playing from early position since you have little information about what other players are holding. Save your bluffs for when you have more information about the other players' hands.
Watch your position: Since you're in early position, be aware of the position of the players behind you. If you have a marginal hand, and there are aggressive players to act after you, it's best to fold to avoid getting caught in a difficult spot later on.
Fold if you're unsure: If you're not confident in your hand or if you don't have a good read on the other players, it's best to fold and wait for a better opportunity to play a strong hand.
In general, the later your position at the table, the more information you have about your opponents' likely holdings. Therefore, when you're in a later position, you can take advantage of your knowledge by playing more hands and with more aggression.
Some strategies to employ when you are in a late position include:
Stealing blinds: If you notice that players in earlier positions are playing cautiously and folding a lot, you can make a move to steal the blinds. This is a profitable play when done correctly, as you can pick up some chips without having to risk your own.
Playing a wider range of hands: Your position gives you an advantage, so take advantage of it by playing a wider range of hands than you would if you were in an earlier position. If you're in a late position, you can afford to play speculative hands like suited connectors or small pocket pairs because you have more information about what other players are likely to do.
Post-flop aggression: When you're in a late position, you can use aggression to your advantage after the flop. Since you have more information about the other players' likely holdings, you can make more informed decisions and potentially force your opponents to make difficult choices.
