Understanding Position In Poker

Although each starting poker hand, or pocket, has a ranking assigned to it, the value of these hands has to be viewed in terms of the position that the player is in when he or she determines a course of action. Position refers to where a player is seated, relative to the ‘button,’ and must be taken into account in order to be successful at the poker table. The first player to act, the player to the left of the big blind, is said to be ‘under the gun,’ or in ‘first position.’ The first three players to act at a full table, are considered to be in ‘Early Position.’ Players further to the left are considered to be in ‘Middle Position’ and the last three players are considered to be in ‘Late Position.’

Counting the Enemy

First, by being in a ‘Late’ position, you will have the advantage of knowing how many players will be contending for the pot, and, you will have the opportunity to shake things up. For example, if you are holding a top ranked hand, such as AA, or KK, you will have an opportunity to re-raise when the action comes to you. If there are already 3 callers, you can raise the pot and possibly win the pot uncontested.

Second, by being in a ‘Late’ position, you can limp in with less risk of being pushed out. For example, if the action swings around to you, and there are two callers in the pot, you might want to enter the pot with a mediocre hand because there is less risk of being pushed out, compared to limping in at the ‘ Early’ position.

Reading the Opponent

In addition to knowing who has entered the pot, players in the ‘Late’ position can get a read on the relative strength of the hands of the players that enter. For example, if one of the tighter players places a large bet from ‘Early’ position, it can be assumed that he or she has a very strong hand, especially if that player has demonstrated good discipline and tends to exhibit strong positional awareness. Another read that a player in late position can make is on the timing of the call. In online play, some players will pre-select the call button, indicating to the observant eye that this player was pretty sure that he or she was going to enter the pot with the hand that they hold.

Establishing Power

By playing aggressively on the button, you can attempt to probe the strengths of your opponents’ hand by re-raising any bets when the action comes to you. By doing so, you can establish a ‘seat of power.’ Unless one of the other players has a very strong hand, they will check during future stages of betting, such as on the turn and the river, because they may fear your re-raise. While the ability to portray a position of power can be tempting, it also leaves the late position quite susceptible to the ‘check-raise’ (a player checks early on, in the hopes that someone will bet into the pot. When action returns to this player, he will re-raise the bet).