Poker Theory - Positioning Yourself to Win

Many beginners do not realize just how important it is to get themselves in a good place on any poker table. Seasoned players probably know about it already, but most still don’t know the concepts behind it and why exactly you should aim for a good seat.

This article will discuss the importance of getting a good seat and the tactical advantages that doing so will bring you.

Why All the Fuss Over a Seat?

Try playing out this situation in your mind. There are four of you at the table aside from the dealer. You’ve got the button or the seat on the dealer’s right, so you get to act last for the deal.

You got to see a bit of how the first three players act and react, and you got to measure them up a good deal. Once your turn to act comes around, you know not only about the cards on the table and your cards, you know about your opponents as well.

Now imagine if you were the first player to act, or under the gun. Chances are good that you’re seated immediately to the left of the dealer. You have to act first, and you only see your other competitors in action after you’ve already made your own move.

The Tactical Advantage

Poker isn’t just between you and the dealer. It’s a game that involves all the other people on the table as well. Getting a good position – one that acts as late as possible – is necessary if you want to cover that aspect of the game.

It’s important to capitalize on your position as it gives you one of the most valuable things in any poker game - information. While you might not be able to determine the cards that your opponents are holding using your position, you’ll be able to get a fairly good idea nonetheless because you get to act after them.

You’re, thus, able to plan your next course of action based on whether your previous opponent checked, raised, betted, or folded.

You’ll also get, to some extent, control over certain portions of the game if you get to act last. If you’re up last, you can heavily influence the size of the pot, allowing you to maximize your winnings if it looks like you’re the strongest at the table, or to minimize your losses if it looks like you’re up against heavy competition.