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Knowing Your Position

January 15, 2008

Position on any poker table is a crucial part of knowing how to play poker. Often beginners hear about position but don’t really understand how to use it, or why it can be a benefit or hindrance to them. Basically, your position on the table is where you are on the table in relation to the button. There are three positions that you need to understand - Early position (EP), Middle position (MP), and Late position (LP).

Early position means that you are one of the first players to act when the action starts on a full table. Before the flop you are considered to be in EP if you left of the big blind. UTG, or under the gun, means that you are the very first player to act after the blinds are called. Having EP is usually not a good place to be in the game. Since you are the first to act you don’t know what other players are going to do which can be a huge disadvantage. Other players can exploit your check or go over the top when you bet. Since they can see you act first, you need to have a really good hand if you plan on playing EP.

Middle position is when you are 4th through 6th of the button to the left. MP okay, but not great. You still have the advantage on the EP players, but the late players have an advantage over you. The main problem with MP is that you can be caught in what is known as the “squeeze” play. That means that you may want to call a bet placed by an EP player but at the same time you have a real threat of being raised by a LP player. Essentially you could call and have a LP raise you, and then have the EP player raise all in. Therefore, unless you are willing to call you have lost some of your chips. That is why it is extremely important that you play only good to excellent hands in the MP so that you won’t get caught in this.

Late position are the players that are last to act. You have the second to last person to act, as well as the button himself, which is obviously the best place to be sitting. Being in LP is huge, and offers you the best advantages. You have the opportunity to steal a pot if it gets checked around, or you can reraise a bet to steal a pot. You can even make a semi-bluff if you have a flush or straight draw. You just can’t do this in EP or MP because you don’t know the strength of someone behind you.

You always need to be aware of your position so you can use it to your advantage. Don’t get so concerned with the game that you forget where you are. Certain hands are better played in LP rather than EP. For example, you may love your suited connectors such as 10/9 suited, but do you really want to play them in EP? The answer in case you are wondering is no. But in LP if no one has raised you can certainly play them. Be aware that most people in EP have a really good hand if they raise, so keep in mind that you may not want to go against someone in EP with only a mediocre hand. Just as a general rule, you should play stronger hands in EP while LP players have a chance to play all sorts of hands.