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Position at the Table
Your position at the table is
simply your position in relation to the theoretical dealer.
The dealer is well known as the best position since the player
in that position plays last on each betting round (except
the preflop). The advantage in playing last is simply the
chance to see how all the players at the table react before
making a decision to bet, call, or fold. It is always better
to play last in any betting scheme.
The person to the left of the
dealer is in the worst position on the table since this is
the player that has to act first and this player is forced
to put in half the maximum single bet before seeing any cards
(referred to as the small blind position). Nobody likes to
bet on a hand they have yet to see but this is exactly what
happens in this position.
The person to the left of the
small blind position is the big blind position. This player
is forced to go in for one bet (and in fact initiates the
betting without seeing their cards). The big blind position
is known as the second worst spot on the table to act from
and usually someone in this position that is betting has something
worth betting with (when there are lots of players at the
table).
The person to the left of the
big blind acts first before each player receives their first
two cards. This is referred to as "being under the gun"
in poker slang. The clockwise motion of play allows those
who act later (in late position) to be at a significant advantage
in the game. As a result, those in late position can play
weaker hands or "gambling hands" with less fear
of financial obligation or loss.
The blind positions and the
player under the gun (early positions) should be much more
selective with their hands, as they don't have the privilege
of watching other players betting/raising before they must
decide if they want to stay in themselves.
For example, lets say you're
under the gun (first to act). You have Queen-Jack off-suit
and have placed a bet. A player after you raises and everyone
but you folds – what should you do? Chances are good
that this player has a better hand than you, with at least
an ace or a king or a pocket pair. Unfortunately, you've already
bet, because you had no idea what the other players at the
table had in the pocket. A real gamble in this case. The worst
part about this scenario is that you will always have to play
before this person and in so doing give that player a big
advantage over you throughout this hand. This is a typical
situation where position is key to acting or not acting on
a questionable hand.
Conversely, being in the dealers
position for the above scenario not only gives you the benefits
of observing how the other players are betting, but it also
gives you the ability to adjust and influence the size of
the pot. After all other players have bet, a raise by the
player in the dealers position could potentially double the
size of the pot or could limit the number of people who stay
to see the next betting round. Usually players who have committed
to one bet are very likely to commit to another bet, but this
is the very situational trap that many undisciplined players
fall prey to.
Position on the table is key
to your style of play and your ability to be aggressive or
passive with respect to betting strategies. Beware of the
players who use their positional advantage with great skill.
These are players you should want to learn from.
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