Position in poker defines the order in which a player has to act in the game. It becomes significant in No-Limit Texas Hold’em than in fixed-limit and pot-limit games. You should be aware of the position you are playing in. The table position can make a difference when you play poker online games. Having a position in Holdem also means being the last player to act on the flop, turn or river. You also get to know the opponents’ strength by acting after them. Here are a few guidelines on how a position in poker can change your game and make you win more money.
The dealer position: the button
Your position at the table is relative to the dealer for that hand’s position. This is one reason the deal rotates around the table so that everyone gets an equal chance in position. If you are in the dealer position or on the button is one of the desired position in flop/ community games like Texas Hold’em poker. After the flop, the player on the button will always be the last one to act in each round of betting. Being the last one to play means you have seen every player in the hand taken an action before you make a decision. It is a big advantage for the player and it means you can get away with more marginal hands on the button.
Early Position
Players sitting in the three seats on the dealer’s left are in the early position. It is the worst position as you have to act first without knowing how the other players will play their hands. You have to decide whether to bet, raise check, or fold without much information on other players. It is a good idea to play only when you have the best and powerful cards.
Middle Position
If you are in the middle position, you get to see how the players in EP play before you have to act. There are still some pesky players to follow you. So, you can play a bit looser in the middle position than in EP but you still have to be very cautious.
Late Position
This is the best position in poker. Late position is defined as the dealer and the players just to his right. If you are in late position, it will allow you to have more information about how the hand is going as you have seen the other players how they have decided to play its cards before you have to make your choice whether to call, bet, raise or fold.
If you are not in the button, it can be advantageous to raise a bit more aggressively from the position next to the button to improve your position if you can get the button to fold. If no player has bet in a round, the players in the late position can win the pot just by betting. It is called the betting position. Many poker players know about this betting position and can also call a bet as a bluff when the dealer or the player before him bets.