Poker is one of the most famous and iconic casino games. It is a complex and nuanced game of strategy.
There are many factors to take into account when playing poker. One of them is table position.
Why is table position important at poker? How does one make the most of it?
This article will answer these questions and will provide a list of tips to help new players improve their poker table strategy.
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Why do table positions matter at poker?
Table positions in poker matter because they can affect your odds of winning. Some positions are more advantageous than others as they give players more game visibility.
Players in the final positions have a higher chance of winning than the players who open the game.
Developing a good poker strategy based on table position is difficult. It is important to understand the advantages and drawbacks of each position.
Players should start by learning the rules and checking the different poker variations that exist.
Some variations have slightly different rules, so they should pick a variation that they are comfortable with.
Players can then improve their game by practicing at a land-based casino or an online poker casino.
Understanding poker positions
Here are the nine different poker table positions in 9-handed poker:
- Small Blind (SB)
The Small Blind position is one of the worst ones at the poker table. An SB player will have to put in half a big blind before even seeing their cards.
Players in this position have to develop a very different strategy. They should play tight instead of wide but should go wide if it folds to them.
Going wide if it folds to them could help them defeat the Big Blind.
- Big Blind (BB)
The Big Blind is another difficult position at the table. The Big Blind player will have to put in a whole big blind before even seeing the cards.
However, they can win the pot if every player folds immediately.
- Under the Gun (UTG)
UTG is considered to be one of the most difficult positions at a poker table. It is usually very hard to win in this position.
The UTG player is the first one to act before the flop. The position is called ‘Under the Gun’ because it comes with a lot of pressure.
Because a UTG player is the first to play after the cards have been dealt, they have no idea what other players have in their hand.
They are playing with extremely limited knowledge, which is difficult.
Players who come after the UTG player are usually in a better position because they can try to predict other players’ hands based on their actions.
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- Under the Gun +1 (UTG+1)
UTG+1 comes directly after UTG. A player in the UTG+1 position is directly to the left of the UTG player.
This position is also one of the most difficult ones.
UTG and UTG+1 players are the two earliest positions before the flop. Players in these positions can only guess other players’ hands.
- Middle Position (MP)
The MP position is sometimes called UTG+2. It is in between the early positions and the late ones.
It is slightly better than UTG and UTG+2 but remains unadvantageous.
- Lojack (LJ)
Some players and casinos use Middle Position and Lojack interchangeably. Some refer to both positions as UTG+2.
The terms are used together because both positions are quite similar. Both are in between the early and late table positions.
They are not the worst positions but not the most advantageous ones either.
Players in both MP and LJ still have limited visibility when it comes to other players’ hands. In other words, they struggle to predict the game’s outcome.
- Hijack (HJ)
There are some debates around the Hijack position. Some call it a middle position while others call it a late position.
The Hijack position is more advantageous than the previous positions. The player in this position can make informed decisions based on the other players’ actions.
They have fewer opponents after them, so they can start adding more off-suit hands with blockers.
- Cutoff (CO)
The cutoff is one of the positions that offers one of the highest raise percentages. It is one the best and most interesting positions at the table.
A Cutoff player can start stealing blinds more directly and aggressively.
- Button (BTN)
The Button position is considered to be the best position of all. A Button player will have seen the other players’ game and will have the option to adjust accordingly.
It is a post-flop position. In other words, the Button player is the last person to bet.
If you are in the Button position, you should raise the stakes when it folds to you. Game experts usually recommend that you raise at least 50-55% of your hands.
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If you are playing 6-handed poker, you would have the six following positions:
- Under the Gun (UTG)
- Hijack (HJ)
- Cutoff (CO)
- Button (BTN)
- Small Blind (SB)
- Big Blind (BB)
Final thoughts
This article listed the different poker table positions and how they can impact players’ game.
To increase your odds of winning, try to choose an advantageous table position and/or adopt a strategy that is compatible with your table position.
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