In Texas Hold’em, poker position is the concept that defines how near you are to the dealer button. A player’s position proximity to the dealer button is important because it determines the betting order. Except during the pre-flop betting, the player with the dealer button will be the last one to act. This provides the strategic advantage of seeing what other players do before committing to any course of action.
In discussions about poker strategy, you will see position categorized as either “early,” “middle” or “late.” The late positions are the player with the dealer button and the two or three players counterclockwise from it. The early positions are the players in the blinds and the first two or three players to the left of the blinds. And the middle positions are clearly the players in the middle. Keep in mind that not all poker players agree on exactly where these lines should be drawn.
Of course, the number of poker players in the game also impacts player position. For instance, in a 5-handed game, early position would generally be considered just the two blinds, while in a 10-handed game, the player just after the big blind is often considered to be in early position as well.
Position is crucial in all forms of poker, but particularly in Texas Hold’em. For example, suppose that you call in early position with a marginal hand (such as 77 or 88). If there is a raise behind you, you have been put into an undesirable situation. But if you had that same pair in late position, you can see how many players you will be up against if you raise.
The general principal is that you need stronger hands to play in early position then you do in late position. If you play a hand from an early position (knowing your bet could be raised or even re-raised), you want it to be a strong one. Conversely, in late position you have the knowledge of what most of the poker players at the table have already done working to your advantage.
