Table Position Strategy (Poker)
Before getting into the logistics of Texas Holdem it is important to understand how table position can be used to your advantage. Anyone new to the game may not realize the importance of table position and understand that some players in a hand will have advantage over others. This advantage is the information that is gained by watching what the rest of the table does before you have to act (make your play). It stands to reason then that if you are last to act, you hold an advantage over the person who is first to act.
In low limit hold'em, you will make most of your cash getting involved with better hands than your opponents. Regardless of the strength of your hand or your table position, it is far more difficult to bully someone off a hand in low limit Hold'em, mainly because the limits are not high enough to present a big enough danger to you opponent or it could just be that your opponent is not a great player. You will also make more money playing strong hands and leaving other players try to catch miracle cards (costing them money and adding to your bankroll).
In any game of poker a dealer button is used to indicate who is on the big and small blinds. These are the compulsory bets that must be made regardless of whether you intend to play the hand or not. The dealer button is important when looking at how position can benefit you.
Consider a typical ring game with 8 players. In terms of the position at the table, the first 3 seats to the left of the big blind are known as "Early Position", the next 3 seats to the left are "Middle Position" and the final 2 seats (the cut-off and button) are known as "Late Position". You should be aware of which "Position" you are in. If you are on the button you will be last to act on the Flop, Turn and the River which is a huge advantage in terms of being able to see what the table does before you decide whether to bet. When you are last to act you will be able to judge what you should do having seen the rest of the table act before you. You will also have more of an idea about where you stand in the hand. As above, acting first is a disadvantage as you cannot judge the strength of your hand (having not seen anyone else bet).
The earlier in position you are, the more likely that it is that a player behind you has a big hand. Early position is known as "Under the Gun" and the disadvantage comes as you may have 9 players to act after you make your bet. For instance, you have A - 10 Clubs which generally is good hand in short handed play. Now have you ever folded A10? If you have not you have likely lost money at poker. Whether you play a hand like this depends on the strength of play at the table. Lets assume you are first to play, you have A - 10 suited.
Now, the 9 players behind you have the chance to hit AJ, AQ, AK, AA, KK, QQ and JJ, all of which would leave you in big trouble. Up against any of these hands and you could very well see a re-raise, which would put you in a bad position. Now turn the tables. You have the same hand and watch all players act before you. When the play reaches you, you will have an idea of what you are up against (keeping in mind players may be slow playing monster hands). The play gets to you and you have seen a raise and 2 re-raises. What do you do? You fold. A 10 does not look good in this position especially when considering how many hands here beat you.
Think of it like this - the later that you are in the betting order, the less likely that someone behind you has a big hand, if they do the more likely you are to know they do when the play moves round to you AND the more information you will be able to pick up on your other opponents - the advantage. If you see the rest of the table check and fold its way round to you, you would not be wrong to put a small raise in with A10 just to see where you are.
Another example - You are again "Under the Gun" with AA and you put in a big raise. To knock you off your Aces players will have to call 2 bets which will cost them money. If you are "Under the Gun" with A-K and you raise, a player with AA behind you can re-raise and you are now having to fork out 3 bets to try and knock him off his hand. Having table position also holds a certain psychological advantage.
It is common to steal the blinds from late position as you may well know. As a result your opponents will often think you are bluffing when you raise in late position so don't slow play. There is always a good chance of a player thinking you are trying to steal and re-raising you. This is good as you likely have the best hand. Remember poker players don't like to be bullied so try and wind them up especially when you have a hand to the aggressive play.
The key to no limit Holdem is to get involved in the hand with the best hand. Low-Limit Holdem players will call you down so you should make sure that you have the cards to take them to the river and into your bank roll. Don't be surprised when opponents call flush draws, open ended straight draws, you name it they will call. Where you make your money is that every time they do this and you have the best hand, they are underdogs to win the pot and you make money (in the long run).
Copyright © 2003 - Top15Poker.com- Top for Strategy Guides.
