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Position is everything!
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Tuesday, July 15, 2008
By Staff
PartTime Poker
Position is everything! Let me repeat that, position is everything! Most new players do not utilize what I believe is the most important factor in decision making and hand choice at the card table. I am going to just give a basic run down for newer players of what position means and its importance. These basics are for mostly tournament style play, but also work in no limit cash games as well. In cash games though, you can be a little looser and gamble more, as you can always reload if you have to. I try not to have to.
Position is what constitutes what starting hands you should be playing in each of the seats. Under the gun is first position before the flop, which is the seat to the left of the big blind. After the flop, the small blind will be under the gun. Then the middle seats of course are middle position, and the seat to the right of the button and the button itself is late position. The button is the best position in the whole game, that is why it should be utilized to your advantage. You are the last to act on each betting round and get to see what other players do before you. This will help to make your decision even easier then an early position.
First off, lets talk about starting hand requirements for the positions. In the early positions and under the gun, you should only play big hands. The problem that arises if you raise or limp in in these positions is you have no idea what is going to happen behind you. Say you limp in or raise with the K-J in this position, then somebody behind you raises a good amount or pushes all in, what is your choices??? Well, my choice would be to fold depending on the factors, because most likely your hand is behind. K-J looks good, but is dominated and behind a lot of starting hands and really is marginal at best. As you see, you are taking a chance on just throwing away chips for nothing. You have no idea what the rest of the table is going to do when you're first or second to act, which will be the case the rest of the hand as well. Only premium starting hands should be played in these positions.
Middle position is a little better, but still not as good as late. You can lower your starting hand requirements a bit in these middle positions, because you have seen the first half of the table act before you.This is a position you could call or raise with hands like j-10 or k-q or hands of that nature. Do not raise or call if someone has raised before you in early position. Most skilled players will only have big hands in the these positions and now your hand is no good. Even if they are making a play in early position with garbage, why risk it? With players behind you, it not a good idea to call an early raise with a marginal hand. With limpers or folders though before you, you can play a wider range of cards because there are very few players left to act behind you. Being in the middle you are still facing possible raises or all ins from the players left to act, so you must still be a little cautious.
Now the late positions are where it's at. You get ALL the info you need to make the best decisions you can to win the hand. You can even come into unraised pots, or pots that give you good pot odds to call with some marginal hands. You will be one of the last players to act in each round of betting which will enable you to get better reads on what the other players before you are holding. The button is the best position because no one acts after you.
These positions are also good for stealing blinds and pots with relative ease. You can get a read from the players actions, like if they just limp or make a weak minimum raise. Sometimes someone will be trapping with a big hand and you might get your hand caught in the cookie jar. Then you just release the hand if you think you are beat. If you steal pots here and there, they will add up and add to your strength and image at the table. Also, showing a few of these lesser hands you are position raising with will get you more action on your bigger hands in position. The other players will assume you are only raising because of position. You might get your hand slapped a few times, but when that big hand comes up and you break them for all their chips, it will be well worth it.
Starting hand requirements lower in these positions. Ace and King with middle kickers suited, connectors, and actually just about any hand can be played in this position. I will even play junk if I am on the button in an unraised pot, because I will know exactly what action to take after seeing all my opponents act before me. I will know if I can bluff and steal the pot or not, or if I should just toss my hand. Plus, playing the more marginal hands in the better positions helps to disguise your hand. If you do hit a flop, the other players not being able to put you on the weaker hand could get them in a lot of trouble.
Say they let you limp in with a k-8 suited when they are holding A-K and they decided to slow play it. The flop comes out k-8-3. Can you see who is in a world of hurt and might not be able to release their hand? They are!
One more tip for the later positions. When you have a bunch of limpers and you have a big hand, do not slow play it. Raise, raise, raise! Get these amateurs out of the hand or make them pay for limping in with marginal cards out of position. You either earn all the limped money or you bust them with the big hand you hold. When you are button or last to act, you have total control of the table in that hand. Make the fish pay when you have the most powerful position.
As you can see, I just gave some basics for the positions and their starting hand requirements. There is a lot more to learn and think about when it comes to position. Like I said, I believe it to be the most important factor in poker and you need to practice and utilize it to the best of your ability. If you do, you can make maximum profit off of your hands when you have position. As we know about poker though, you have to change up your style to keep the players guessing. Do not ever play the same constantly in any hand or any position. Always throw them for a curve every once in awhile. If you are raising the button every time you have it, limp in a couple times here and there and keep them guessing. Position is everything people, and I hope these basics get you started in the understanding of it. Good luck!
