Many people understand the basics of card playing and positions from games we played as kids, like Go Fish and Old Maid.  There’s a dealer who dishes out cards clockwise starting with the player to the left of them, and that person starts the action.  True, that is the very, very basics to it.  However, in poker there’s a lot more that goes into where you’re seated at a table.  It can affect your betting as well as you’re advantage in reading the moves of other players and more.  Understanding what your position at a table means can help you strategize before you get a single card.

           The small blind is the seat to the left of the person in the dealer position when the blind betting structureis being used.  The player is required to put in a bet before the cards are dealt.  The bet is the smaller of the two blind bets, thus the name, which is most likely half the big blind amount.  This position has a couple of disadvantages.
               
One plus is that you’ve already put in money so when betting comes round to the small blind they only have to put in half the call if it hasn’t been raised.  If no one has raised then it’s good idea to play basically any hand since you’ve already paid half.  If you have a strong hand it would be a good chance to raise.  However if more than one player has raised before you its best to only play with the best of hands, if not a fold could be in your best interest.

That’s because after the flop the small blind is the one to open the second round of betting followed by the big blind.  That means you’ll be at the disadvantage of being under the gun and won’t have the opportunity to read any of the other players’ moves.

           The big blind is much like the small blind and this designation is given to the player to the left of the small blind.  The required bet prior to receiving any cards is typically the twice that of the small blind and is usually the minimum bet allowed. 

That’s why as the big blind you always stay in if no one raises.  You’ve already put that money in so you might as well see the flop.  Basically the same guidelines for small blinds also go for big blinds, but the big blind doesn’t have to consider the extra money required by the small blind to call since they’ve already put it in.

            Under the Gun refers to the player in the position just to the left of the big blind.  The position was given this name because this position must act first once the cards are dealt and the betting round begins.  Because of this the person who is under the gun has the least advantage.  The gun has to make a decision without seeing what anyone else has already done.  This means you should play tighter when you’re in this position because you only have your cards to go on. 
               
Raising should be done only with the best of hands because other players can check-raise you.  Not only will this put pressure on you to fold but it will also be another opportunity for players to get information out of your playing.  The hands to play are big pairs and face card connectors. 

If you know your table well then it makes it easier.  With tight players and a good hand you can raise it but with looser players just call.  You can also call with a suited connector that’s lower but it wouldn’t be in your best interest to raise with it.

            The early positions can be one or multiple players depending on how many people are in the game and if there is a blind betting structure being used.  In a typical Texas Hold’Em game there are 3 players in the early positions; the small blind, the big blind and the under the gun position. 

Though you will find others that put the two or three players behind the blinds as the early positions, excluding the blinds.  The early positions are the least desirable because you have less of an opportunity to read the other players before making a move. 

Because you have no idea what any or most of the others will do this position is the one to play your big hands in more so than uncertain ones.  Though it would be a good time to bluff or switch up your game to confuse the other players.  However, in this position doing so is running more of a risk.  Unless you have a pocket pair of face cards coming out with a bet can be hap hazardous. 

If you do have that big pocket pair then the table has turned giving you an upper hand.  In this case don’t bet too aggressively, and maybe even just check.  You want to get more players putting more money in the pot not scare them away since you have a strong hand.  Play a good hand like an AQ or smaller pair with caution.  It’s advisable to call in these situations to see what the flop or your draw will be. 

            This is kind of the lukewarm position at a poker table.  These positions are the seat(s) just to the left of the early positions.  In the middle position you have room to play a little less conservative than you would in the early position since you get to see what those positions do.  However, there are still the late positions behind you that you won’t see.

You can play the hands as you would in an early position but with a little more leeway.  A good playable hand would also include any pair 8 or above as well as Aces paired with the ten card or higher and connected face cards.  But if your hand is only so-so, like a lower pair of 8s or 9s, and another player raises aggressively it’s best just to fold your hand rather than risk losing out big.

            These are the most desirable positions to be in at the table since they get to see all or almost all of the other players’ moves in the betting round.  The late positions are considered by most to be the dealer and the cutoff, or the seat to the right of the dealer, though one or two more players to the right can also be in this category depending on the number of players. With the chance to read and analyze everyone else the late positions can play the loosest and it’s a good time to play more aggressively. 

The late position is the safest place to do your bluffing and taking chances.  You can call or even raise with smaller pairs and connectors as well as any of the hands a middle or early position would use.  And when you get a good hand in the late position it is definitely the best time for you to do your raising.  It’s always good if you can get everyone to fold before the flop. 

However, if there’s an aggressive player at your table who’s more likely to call the raise it’s the time to slow play them.  That means only make a moderate raise to keep players in and get more into the pot if the cards are in your favor.

There is also the added benefit for the late positions that if no one else decides to bet or folds you can bet on a low pair or low connects or even win the pot by just betting.  That’s why a late position at the end is also referring to as a betting position.  But be careful since others who have called already could call you’re bet.  You have a lot more room to play in these positions. 

            This is where every player wants to be and is a part of the late positions at the table.  The dealer is the last person to get their cards and they are also the last person to bet in a round.  That means they get to see what everyone else has done before deciding what they want to do.  All the rules apply to the dealer/button position as they do to the late positions only more so.

 

 

At the heart of all this strategy for weighing your position at the table lies concentration.  Without it there’s not much your position can do to help you even if you’re the dealer.  Poker is a game that requires thinking and reading the tells and betting patterns of other players as well as poker odds that should be continuously calculated. 

If you sit at a table and starting yapping away or keep your head down on only your own poker hand you’re going to miss a lot.  Other players are giving you just as much to go on as your own cards, so pay attention.

 

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