The button or the dealer’s button has more value than a guide for the dealers to distribute the cards. It is a guide one who will act first and the button usually acts last.
Many times you would hear player calling out of position or early position. We are here to help guide you to better understand these terms and why position in poker is important.
Positions in Poker
When a poker tournament begins, oftentimes you can hear people asking where is the dealer’s button. It is customary that the blinds are after the big button. The small and big blind are bets to start the game.
One value of position is that when a game starts, the small and big blind must post or put on a bet. it is basically your entrance fee to play the hand.
The seat in poker is usually described as
Early Position
Middle Position
Late Position
The early position is usually the small blind and the big blind and the players to the left of the big blind.
photo credit: PokerNews.
The player to the left is called the Under the gun position. although there are no citations to support any of etymologies. Its accepted meaning is “under the pressure to decide or act”
The players in early position are the one who needs to first act. preflop it is the under the gun position that must act first. while post-flop the small blind must act first.
The middle position are those who are in the middle or must act after the early position has made its action.
While the late position are the last to act.
The value of the late positions.
The value of the late position is you have an opportunity to see all actions first before you need to decide. It gives you an idea who may have good cards or bad.
Most poker pros are more active in the late position.
The chance to study your opponent first before the need to decide your move.
Imagine you are on a journey, being in the early position means you are at the front. You have no idea what you will face against while you travel. It may be a good flop or a bad flop, but you need to be the first one to make your move.
Being in the late position means you are in the back. An advantage is given post-flop as your opponent makes their moves. you can study their moves first before you make your decision.
Base on their action whether checking or betting. You can read the strength of their hand.
Especially if your opponent has a tell.
A Poker tell is a change in a player’s behavior or demeanor that is claimed by some to give clues to that player’s assessment of their hand. A player gains an advantage if they observe and understand the meaning of another player’s tell, particularly if the tell is unconscious and reliable.
The difference is that when you are in early position and need to act first. let say you bet and then suddenly you see your opponent wagging his tail. it tells you he has a very strong hand. But since you have acted first. there is no way you can take your bet back.
While if you were to be in the late position. you can easily fold without adding anything to the pot.
Photo credit to the owner.
Better control of the pot
The last to act has better control of the pot. If your opponent check, you can also check to keep the pot at a minimum risk, bet to have a better knowledge of his hand strength or bet to increase the pot when you believe you have a better hand. There are also opportunities to “bluff” in this position as your opponents might have shown weaknesses.
Why the button moves
The advantages of the late position are the main reason why the button moves. it gives a chance for everyone to be in a favorable position.
There are tables on the internet that actually showcase the optimal hands you need to play in position.
There are numerous charts that would specify which hands you should fold or call in early position, middle position, and late position. but the charts for late-position has a bigger range while the early position has a smaller range.
Again this is base on random plays. knowing your opponent does have huge advantage.
Quoting Indian Poker pro-Kunal Patni
“Poker has many other variables asides from charts and books. I would play a pair of aces against a Pro differently than how I would play with a fish”
Some players would question this, There is an American poker player who is regular in Asia who calls more than 80% of his hand, but he has won a lot of Major tournaments. He would call in any position and with any cards.
The position is an advantage. understanding the value of position gives you an edge. However, there are many other factors you need to consider.
Calling too many hands in a bad position which leads to more folding is bad for your chips.
Having some edge in the poker tables will help.
