Poker Position Counts
In Poker there are certain clues that will govern the best strategy to use dependant on your position in the game. The “button” is the player to the left of the dealer who will begin the hand. In online poker the pseudo dealer will move the button one position to the left. The button will determine you position in each game and your decisions on how to play should hinge on your position, as well as the player who has the button. There are three positions you will hold in any given game; early, middle and late. To become successful in online poker, you have to learn how to bid a hand to maximize your hand in each one of these positions.
You are most vulnerable in the “Early” round position. In this position, you have no information on how your opponents will play their hands. Without information, you should keep your hand tight and play with caution and reserve. An aggressive play in this position will inform other players that you have a very strong hand and the pot may not grow. It may also indicate to other players that you may be bluffing. Anyway you look at it, playing aggressively in an early position will provide other players with information. In the early position, your choices can only be made in retrospect.
When you are in the “Middle” round position you have a little more information based upon the actions of the previous players decisions, yet there will be more play to follow. If you play this position with finesse it will be very difficult for other players to be sure if you are playing tight or loose, aggressively or cautiously. The secret is to keep your element of surprise while observing with scrutiny, the actions of all the other players prior to making choices more beneficial to suit your strategy.
The most advantages position in the game of poker is the “Late” round position. In this position you have been able to analyze the actions of each individual player. This information is uniquely yours. You are the only one to be able to evaluate the actions of all previous players and decide which strategy will be in your best interest.
A good rule of thumb is if you are sitting early in the round, (at or near the button); make sure you only play the strongest hands. If you are sitting late in the round you will have the best chance to compete with more drawing hands. (Fold early, bluff late)
A good example of positioning suggests If you are playing early, and you draw a pocket Q-Q, it’s a strong hand, but still beatable. If another player chooses to raise, you will be more tempted to fold, instead of playing it. The opposite concern is true as well. If you have a monster hand, such as A-A and place a bet as the first move, you may scare the other players out of the hand, and this means no pot increase. Should you hold the same hands late, you will be able to better estimate the amount to assure people will call you, instead of folding.
Keeping this as a guide for your play, and you will change your choices every hand. These tips will assist you to develop and learn stronger plays, which means you’ll win more pots.
