Position
Yourself for Victory From Any Angle
When
playing the house-hunting game, it has always been
about location, location, location. When playing the
game of poker, it’s about position, position,
position.
Of
course, position is not as critical as your starting
cards in a game like Texas Hold’em, but it easily
ranks a close second in determining whether you play
your hand or not. Position at the table is such a
powerful tool, it would make an average player with
good position on every hand almost unbeatable.
Making
successful decisions in poker is based on knowledge.
The more you know about the other player, the better.
Therefore, when the other player has to make decisions
first, you have the advantage. This is the essence of
position.
Now,
determining position is easy. Using it wisely is a
different story.
Your
position depends on your location in relation to the
dealers button; the point in the betting round when
you have to act. In games like stud and draw, position
can change. However, it is the community-card games
where position is so important, it can make the
difference between soaring to the penthouse or
stumbling into the poor house.
Having
control is something the professionals demand, making
Hold’em and Omaha — where position remains
constant — the most popular games. If you’re
first, second, or third, you stay in that position,
unless someone folds, of course. When you’re
fortunate enough to be on the button (the dealer),
you’re in the catbird’s seat, holding the last
position and being able to make your move in response
to all of the other players.
For
once, being last is a good thing. The more players
moving before you, the more information you have to
break down and analyze their moves. If you are holding
a strong hand and you are in the last position, you
sit back and wait for another player to bet into you.
Once this occurs, slap them with a raise and your
profits will shoot straight up.
Being
first in society has always seemed to be a reward, or
symbol of accomplishment. That’s not the case
in poker. The early position, where you can’t play
as many hands, is not your friend. Whether you have
the nuts (best possible hand), mediocre cards, or the
worst hand, first position puts you at a major
disadvantage.
Even
with strong cards, you’re in sort of a no-win
situation. A big bet may force others to fold. Playing
it cool and sandbagging the hand might result in the
other players checking as well, with the end result
being a lot of missed bets and a poor payout, relative
to the nuts.
The
bottom line? Learn to master each position, playing
smart from the early ones and taking advantage of the
late ones. Remember, at higher stakes, your opponents
will be skilled in the art of position, but if you
understand position in a lower stakes game, the ball,
and cash, will end up in your court.
