Poker Position is the key to Texas Hold'em. Holding a premium hand does not necessarily
mean you must go into play. Likewise, holding a weak hand does not necessarily mean
you must fold. Holding a premium hand does not necessarily mean you will take down
the pot; holding a weak hand does not necessarily mean you will lose the play. It
is crucial to recognize the value of your hole cards relative to your position, and
thus, choose the right hand to play. Your spot in the action can make a big
difference, and it should definitely influence the way you play each hand.
There are three major positions: early position, middle position and late position.
The first three positions to the left of the big blind are considered the early position
in a ten-player game. Since the button determines the order in which players act for all
betting rounds (the only exception to this are the blinds, who act last on the first
betting round, but act first on all succeeding betting rounds), the number of hands
that can be safely played from an early position is quite limited. Since you are one of
the first three positions to act, you are out of position on all betting rounds; you
tend to be forced, throughout the hand, to make decisions without sufficient information.
You need a superior starting hand to make it worth playing. It is common that players in
early positions tend to always fold or call suited connectors, and middle to small
pairs. Instead of playing one fixed strategy, it is always recommended to play more
flexible, based on how your opponents play.
Playing your hand from a middle position, or the fourth, fifth, and sixth positions to
the left of the big blind, is similar to the play of your hands from an early position.
The main difference is that you now can play a few more hands, since your positional
disadvantage is not as great. Middle position players have some of the disadvantages
of early position players and some of the advantages of late position players.
A common mistake players in middle positions tend to make is to limp along with other
players without holding a drawing hand.
Playing your hand on the button, to the right of the button, and sometimes the second
position to the right of the button is the most advantageous. You will have excellent
position on all betting rounds which will enable you to make better decisions than you
can make in the earlier positions. When your opponents check or bet, you have gained a
great deal of information about their hands, while they do not have this same information
about your hand.
To summarize, the later your position, the more kinds of hands are potentially playable.
Drawing hands increase in value with later positions, because more information (number of
players, potential pot size) is available. This does not mean you should always play a
drawing hand from a late position. It means that, if other factors are favorable, and you
have the final deciding factor, a weak hand is playable. Players in late positions tend
to make the common mistake of calling raises with high cards.
It is crucial to recognize how your position can affect your game play. Below is an exercise,
Knowing Your Poker Position, which gives you the practice you need to determine your poker
position at a poker table.