Poker Positions – Basics

Put simply, the position that you’re in when you are playing poker has nothing to do with your hand, but instead it depends on where you are placed on the poker table in relation to the dealer and your opponents. Where you sit on the table determines when your turn will be to place a bet in each round. The game of poker begins at the dealer and works around the table in a clockwise direction. So your position simply tells whether or not it is a good idea for you to try to bluff other players.

The dealer is the focal point of the table. They see the BUTTON in front of them, which is the total amount that is in the pot at the end of each round. The dealer is therefore known to be “ON THE BUTTON”.

If you are sitting in one of the three seats that are directly to the left of the dealer, then you are in the position that is called the EARLY position. This is probably the worst position to be in, because it is up to you to make the first move without knowing what the other players are going to do. You should absolutely not use this position to bluff.

The next three players are in the MIDDLE position. You will still only know at most, what half the players are going to do, so you should probably still not bluff. This is a slightly more favorable position however than the early position.

The best position to play in, and one where you can try to bluff if you wish, is in the LATE position. The final two players and the dealer are the ones who are included in the late position. Because you already know what your opponent’s move is, you can decide whether or not to bluff.

Of course most poker players would love to sit in the winning position or at least, in the more favorable place but like in any other game, a player can’t always get the best. A chance that you’ll be seated in the unlikely position is always present; in this case you ought to make sure that you know how to adapt on any position in order to benefit from the game.

One simple way to ensure that you learn how to do that is to play continuously regardless of your position. There are many online sites that offer free poker wherein you can decide which spot you like. You should take time to practice on all of those positions and learn the strategies in order to turn a bad spot on your favor.

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