Beginner poker players tend to undervalue the importance of position in Texas Hold’em. Many novice players make the mistake of wasting their poker chips calling small raises just to see if the flop or turn happens to improve their weak hand. Understanding the impact position has on your poker strategy will considerably improve your game play, equipping you with general guidelines to determine the strength of your hand relative to the other players.
Each position at the poker table has advantages and/or disadvantages. This is why the positions rotate after every hand. We will take a look at each position, and the pros and cons associated with them, in order to help you develop a more reliable beginner poker strategy.
Dealer or Button
The position of the dealer is indicated by a button in front of that player. This is considered the most advantageous position. After the flop, the player on the button will be the last to act, allowing that player to evaluate the behavior of every opponent before deciding how to proceed.
The button is the best position to bluff from, especially if it is obvious that your opponents don’t have strong hands. A confident raise before the flop will weed out most of the weak hands. Post-flop you are in a position to see how your opponents bet. If everyone checks, it is probably safe to assume that no one has anything stronger than a low pair. A strong raise will usually result in the remaining players folding their cards.
Small Blind
The player to the left of the dealer is called the small blind, and must post a predetermined bet before the cards are dealt; generally half the value of the big blind. Before the flop, the small blind will be the second to last to act. After the flop, the small blind is the first to act (assuming they haven’t folded), putting you at a disadvantage. A check or small raise will indicate to your opponents that you have a weak to mediocre hand. If you don’t have a very strong starting hand as the small blind, it is generally in your best interest to conserve your chips and fold.
Big Blind
The big blind is posted before the deal by the player to the left of the small blind. The big blind is the last to act before the flop. However, after the flop, the big blind is the second to act (first if the small blind has folded). This is not an ideal position to be in, but it is possible to limp your way to a full house or a straight if your opponents have weak cards.
If you have a mediocre starting hand from the big blind, and no one raises before the flop, you might as well ‘check’. If the flop doesn’t connect strongly to your hand, you probably shouldn’t call a raise. However, if you can check your way to the turn, go ahead – it isn’t costing you anything. Same for the river – if you can just check your way along, you could end up with a decent hand. But keep in mind that your opponents’ hands could be improving with every card that hits the board, too.
Under the Gun
This is the player to the left of the big blind, and is the first player to take action in the hand. This is considered the worst pre-flop position, but improves a little after the flop if the blinds haven’t folded. However, this is still an early position, and only the strongest starting cards stand a chance from this location. If you have weak hole cards in this position, it is recommended that you save your chips and fold before the flop.
Your position at the poker table has a significant impact on how strong your starting cards need to be. Players in early position – the first players to act – will need to have stronger hole cards, as it is more difficult to judge the strength of the cards held by your opponents. When you are in late position – one of the last players to act – it is easier to discern how much faith the early players have in their hole cards. Incorporating position into your poker strategy will have a profound effect on your results at the felt.