What is a poker position?

In poker there are always positions that are characterized by the order at the table and especially by the order of bidding. Positions are determined from the small blind. Have all positions special designations , which depend on how many players are at the table. A distinction is primarily made between heads-up (2 players), shorthanded (5-6 players) and full ring (9-10 players).

The position changes every round as the button moves. It is important that you understand as a basic principle that it is better to be late. In the Learn poker guide there are the basics. That's why it is Button is the strongest position in poker .

Je later it's your turn, the more better is your poker position. You have more information available to make your decision. On the other hand, if it's your turn early, you can only use a limited amount of information.

What positions are there at the poker table?

So that you get a comprehensive impression of what the game is like in the individual positions, we will introduce you to each individual poker position in detail. We are referring to One Full ring table with up to ten players . But you can also transfer the basic statements to smaller or larger tables.

Early positions: UTG

The UTG abbreviation stands for “Under the Gun”. With UTG the three positions after the two blinds designated. The abbreviations UTG1, UTG2 or UTG3 are also used for a detailed designation of the positions. These positions are particularly difficult to play because there are many players taking their turn after you.

You can win from any poker position. But from the UTG position (Under the Gun) It makes sense to only play with strong starting hands and to be aggressive in order to reduce the number of opponents early on. This works best with a raise or a check-raise. As a beginner, you should have a poker table with the best starting hands for UTG in front of you.

Our strategy tips for “Under the Gun”
  • Play tight
  • Only play the best starting hands
  • Be particularly careful on UTG2 and UTG3 if a raise has already taken place
  • Either enter with a raise or wait for a raise: then reduce the number of players with a re-raise

Middle positions MP

The middle positions are not easy to play in poker. You definitely have to Don't be as careful as you were in the early positions , but you don't have the strategic possibilities of the late positions. In practice, a lot depends on how the players behave before and after you. You should be able to assess well whether the players in the other poker positions are passive or aggressive.

If no raise has taken place yet, you can do yours Starting hand range choose something more generous. Pairs of 77+ and suited connectors like 78+ as well as high Broadways work well in any case. Without a raise in front of you, you can expand the range a little. However, if a raise has already taken place, middle pairs are still playable, but the suited connectors may not work as well anymore.

Our strategy tips for middle positions”
  • Play tight-aggressive
  • Opening hand range: pairs 77+, suited connectors 78s + high Broadways
  • Raising is often better than checking or calling

Late Positions Hijack, CO & BU

In principle it is always a good idea as a standard strategy tight-aggressive to play. However, you can play significantly more hands in late position:

The blinds: SB and BB

The blinds are particularly interesting psychological positions because you already have a bet in the game that you can lose if you fold.

The positions at the shorthanded table

A typical One Shorthanded table has six seats . Counting always starts with the small blind. There are various deviations, but at this point we are concerned with basic principles and the differences to the full ring table. You should be aware that in shorthanded there are fewer cards in circulation. This also results in less good starting hands.

This leads to the Starting hand ranges for shorthanded are a little more generous are designed. The fewer players there are at the table, the worse the starting hand can be to still have a statistical advantage. However, in shorthanded play as well as at the full ring table, your starting hand must be better in early positions than in late ones.

Let's look at each position in detail:
  • Small Blind: The small blind must place half the blind as a mandatory bet. This position is often easier to play shorthanded, especially at tables with few loose-aggressive players.
  • Big Blind: The big blind has to defend itself more often at a shorthanded table than at a full ring table in order not to have a statistical disadvantage.
  • Under the Gun (UTG): Since there are only three players left, it is quite possible to play loose-aggressive without having an excellent starting hand.
  • Middle Position (MP): If no raise has been made before, you can play successfully from this position with many starting hands.
  • Cutoff (CO): With a raise it is often possible to take the button out of the game and thus have the best position later on.
  • Button (BU): The button can play very aggressively shorthanded. In particular, it is important to attack the blinds regularly.

In position vs. Out of position – strategic fundamentals of poker position

When you are “in position”, you first have to decide based on your opponent or opponents. That is a huge advantage . If you have a solid but not great starting hand and several players in front of you have shown by betting, raising, and re-raising that they have top starting hands, you should probably wait for a better opportunity. It's better to wait until a better opportunity presents itself. Don't trust yours too much Poker psychology .

In any case, you have One Information available , which you wouldn't have if you were 'out of position'. In this case you might have made a bet and then had to respond by raising and re-raising. The information advantage through the better position offers a better basis for decision-making.

My experience: With every action at the poker table, I take into account my position, especially mine relative position . However, it is important to also take the individual qualities of the players into account. If all but One of the players have their turn before me, I still have a problem if I'm sitting at the table “out of position” to the Shark.

Advanced players can use an unfavorable poker position to gain a strategic advantage, for example through constant aggression against a passive player. In general, however, it is better to be in position against as many players as possible and out of position against as few players as possible.

The larger the table is, i.e. The higher the number of participants, the stronger the position effect. There is a significant difference whether it is nine players or five players after you. In shorthanded poker, position also plays an important role, but it is easier to play aggressively from an early or middle position.

Relative Position vs. Absolute Position

A beginner might be tempted to look exclusively at the absolute position in poker, i.e. The positions from 1 to the big blind. But that would be a mistake. When playing, it's not so much about the absolute position, but rather the relative position to the opponents. Relative position is the same for all poker variants Draw Poker or Omaha poker important.

You can be “In Position” or “Out of Position”. These terms describe whether it is your turn after or before a player. Basically it is always One Advantage of being able to decide based on One player . You have important information if you know whether the player calls, folds or increases the bet. The button is the best poker position because you decide after all other players have made their decision.

Influence of position on starting hands

The later it is your turn, the more generous you can be with your starting hands. In early positions, however, it is advisable to only play the best starting hands. Of course, you should occasionally deviate from this rule so that your opponents never quite sure know whether you might be playing an “unsuitable” starting hand.

However, beginners should play the poker position starting hands largely according to the textbook. Learn with that Poker Cheat Sheet You shouldn't be impressed by the fact that the poker pros on TV like to do the opposite of what we explain in this guide.

But advanced players also use the usual poker ranges as a basis. But these hands, which are often not spectacular, are rarely shown on televisionIGT.

As a general rule of thumb, you can remember: the less favorable the position, the better your starting hand should be. Or vice versa: the more favorable your position is, the worse your starting hand can be.

Conclusion: Position is a central element in every poker variant

Every successful poker player knows the advantages and disadvantages of positions at the table, even heads-up. There, too, there is always a player 'In Position' and One 'Out of Position'. This concept is crucial because every good strategy depends on it. Once you have internalized this concept, you are ready Play poker for real money .

For beginners, we recommend learning every poker position thoroughly, including the early, middle and late positions, the cutoff, the button, the small blind and the big blind. Knowing the best starting hands for each position is an important basis for successful poker play. Then you can get started Poker provider of your choice !

Author: Emily Watson