The knowledge of positions at a poker table can be an added advantage for players looking to take their game up a few notches. Of all the tips and tactics that claim to improve your poker game, positioning comes across as an effective strategy that can help you make sound decisions.
For a beginner at the poker table, it is important to understand the significance of their position at the table in terms of the advantage they have over their opponents. The best way for a beginner to proceed in a game of poker is by playing a tight and aggressive game. A tight game involves the playing of strong hands while the weak hands are folded in. An aggressive game has a player betting and raising with rare calls during the game.
A tight and aggressive player is observant and patient as he lies in wait for the profitable situations to arise. An aggressive playing style is a sure sign of an effective game-play as betting and raising consistently while having a good hand makes for a larger pot as you leave no chance for your opponent to improve his hand. This eventually leads them to calling and folding their hand while you win the pot without showing your hand.
Understanding the importance of position in your game style
A consistent poker player knows the crucial role position plays in winning cash at the poker table. An advantageous position in poker is the spot where you “play in position”, which provides you the opportunity of accessing the maximum amount of information at any given time. The edge acquired over your opponents is maximized by your knowledge of what precedes before it is your turn to make a move.
Therefore playing in position refers to playing in the late position where you are seated across the dealer button or on any of the spots to the right of it. As the play starts anti-clockwise from the dealer button, the players on the right handed positions are actually the last to play the hand. Often referred to as the “Jesus Seat”, an in position seat offers the luxury of performing miracles by wielding control over your opponents’ game.
The act of playing in position often pushes the opponents on a defensive track with the players playing a defensive game as they are on tenterhooks about the outcome of the hand. A seat towards the left side of weaker players can help in winning pots as they are left with little or no knowledge of your tactics with the limited skills and disadvantage of playing out of position.
Effects of playing out of position
A player playing from an early or middle position is often referred to as playing out of position. An early or a middle position is the blinds and the first few seats to their left side is said to be the late position. The early position is dubbed as “under the gun” as a player playing at that position is said to be playing under the gun. It is a risky position for players who are regulars at this position as it leaves them with little or no information to guide their actions.
A player under the gun is the first to act before a flop and after a flop as well , losing out on the opportunity of gaining useful information on the opponent’s intended style of play before they make a move. The players playing at an early position are often advised to play tight where they play only good hands. This in turn has players in the early position controlling and outlining the way a hand is to be played.
Someone playing out of position will find it hard to make profits from that position without resorting to tactics like tight and aggressive play. A weak starting hand is a major disadvantage for a player in an early position, hence they are advised to fold before the flop without risking it by playing many hands. The act of playing a lot of hands from an early position is referred to as “loose playing’.
Different positions you can play at a regular table
The fact that the hole cards of an opponent cannot be observed makes the game of poker more intriguing and fun. The information gathered by a player during the game are based on educated guesses about the opponent’s hands and the actions taken by them before you make your move. A bet or raise in the early position is indicative of a strong hand meanwhile a call is a sure sign of a hand that can be improved by seeing a flop, turn or river. The positions at a poker table are relative to the dealer button as it is detrimental in deciding the posting of small and big blinds.
- Early Position or EP
In a table of ten players, the players who make the first moves are the ones playing from the early position. The players to the left of the big blind are supposedly the ones in the early position and the first person to act from this position is termed as UTG which is short for “Under The Gun” The disadvantage of playing at an early position is accentuated by the fact that your opponents have the luxury of reacting to your moves while you can only anticipate their actions. Even a player with average level poker skills can exploit an early position play by observing the game as it progresses.
- Middle Position Or MP
The left side of the early position segment comprises of the middle position, starting with the fourth player to the left of the button. The players playing from the middle position are privileged to observe the early position players and yet are disadvantaged as they anticipate the play of late position holders. Also referred to as the “squeeze” position, a middle position can be a tricky situation as you are left to call a bet on an early positioned player only to be raised by an opponent in the late position.
- Late Position or LP
The player at the button and the Cut Off or the two players on the right of the button are the players in the late position. The players acting from a late position have the advantage of having checked a hand or to bluff and win the pot on the spot. The frequent checks a player has to do before a player in the late position makes it clear enough for them that their opponents hold nothing of great value which again makes bluffing easier.