Using position as a poker strategy

Using position as a poker strategy

Positioning in poker table

Poker has different forms like Texas Hold’em, Omaha and Omaha Hi/Low. Texas Hold’em is the most popular form of poker. Nearly all online poker rooms offer this form of poker. The position of the player in the online poker table influences his fortunes in the game. This has led to the development of positioning as a poker strategy. This is one of the important online poker tips to all beginners who are learning to play poker.

Different positions in poker table

There are three different positions of the player in the online poker table with respect to the button which decides who posts the big and small blinds. The positions are Early Position, Middle Position and Late Position. The player must know in which position and play accordingly. Sometimes in the heat of the game, the player may forget in which position he is and may lose money in online poker rooms.

Early Position

Early position is the position where the person is sitting right next to the big blind. This position is often referred as “Under The Gun” since he should make the first move after the blinds. This position means that the person who has to make the first move will lose his surprise element. The opponents who are to play next will know the move and can change their game plan accordingly. The UTG can even decide the course of the game with his first move.

Middle Position

The players who are next to the blinds and the UTG are those who are in the Middle Position. This position is relatively better than Early position. The players will get an idea about the course of action before their turn comes. The players still have to be wary of their Late Position counterparts. The players in middle position might end up in a “Squeeze” situation. The player may try to bet someone in early position but he stands the risk of being raised by a player in Late Position. The MP Player may be exploited by the EP and LP players.

Late Position

The remaining players after the early and middle position are the late position players. The last player to play in a round is the button. The player before him is the “Cut off”. This position offers the most advantages compared to other positions. The player in the LP has the best chances of making a Steal of the pot. He would know the strengths of other player’s hand by the time the turn comes to him. No other position can offer this advantage. The bluff can be called based on the knowledge of the value of other player’s cards. The player can also Semi bluff to make any player in other positions fold and also to check the pace of some other aggressive player. The semi bluff ends with a “free card” play to attempt another semi bluff.

Positioning is of utmost importance

The players must play according to their position and these online poker tips will help. The players in EP must play stronger hands and LP gives the chance to drawing hands.