In poker your position at the table can have a great deal of impact on your success at the table. You may have heard the expression “don’t play the cards, play the player” and position is part of that concept. In fact, many times when a player makes a certain play, they are said to be “playing position”, meaning that their action was dictated by the position they are in regardless of the cards they are holding. While nothing in poker is certain, there are some strong guidelines, and playing good position is one you should use.

What “Playing Position” means is taking your relative position at the table into account among the many other things you consider when making a decision in a hand. Your position is defined by where you are sitting relative to the dealer button, which you know is the object that determines who is last to act after the flop in Texas Hold’em. If you are “on the button” then you are in an enviable spot, as you get to see everyone else take action before you have to make one yourself. The more information you can gather, the better your odds of making the right play, be it folding, calling or raising (and how much to raise.)

If you are sitting three spots to the left of the dealer than you are “under the gun” before the flop, meaning you are the first to act. Typically in this and all early positions- which include the blinds after the flop- you want to play very tight. Your range of starting hands is slim because there are so many players after you to act you have great odds of being beat unless you have the best of hands.

Middle position means you can loosen up a little but still have to be on the look out for raises coming from late position, which includes the dealer spot and one or two seats to the right of that. Position is something that is very important and can take some getting used to, but just remember when you are starting out that late position = good because you get more information, and early position = bad because you are acting practically bad. Play tighter in earlier positions and you will be rewarded by dodging bad plays.