Position in poker is akin to wielding power! Essentially, it indicates that you will take action after your opponents during each betting round. post-flop betting round.
There are multiple reasons that underline the critical nature of position in the game:
- You gain insight into your opponents' actions before deciding your own.
- This advantage equips you with a wealth of information, enabling you to make the most informed choices for the highest potential returns.
- You can play a wider range of starting hands Holding a position of advantage after the flop can greatly enhance your ability to profit due to the informational edge that it provides. (This aspect also makes you a tougher opponent to face.)
- Being in a favorable position tends to yield greater long-term earnings for players compared to being in a weaker position. out of position does.
A typical full-ring game of poker A poker table typically features 9 or 10 players, with cash games often having 9 players and tournaments accommodating 10. The terminology used to denote player positions indicates their relative stance in relation to the button and blinds.
Depending on where a player sits at the table during a hand, they should consistently adapt their strategies to maximize their potential winnings in any given scenario.
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Recognizing Player Positions: The Initial Step
One player is designated the 'dealer button', which they maintain for the duration of a hand. Following this, the two players to their left must post the small and big blinds—mandatory bets that must be made prior to receiving any cards. (Rest assured, all players will eventually have to post these bets as the 'button' rotates clockwise after each hand.)
The purpose of these forced bets (the “ blinds Placing bets into the pot before any cards are dealt is a preliminary requirement, which incentivizes players to engage with that 'dead' money.
What are the Distinct Player Positions in Poker?
For clarity, we will focus on a 10-handed table to provide a comprehensive overview of all possible positions in a poker game.
The player immediately to the left of the big blind is termed the under-the-gun player (or ‘UTG’, as referred to in the chart below). This designation stands true regardless of whether the table has 6, 9, or 10 players. UTG Being under-the-gun indicates that this player is the first to take their turn.
This also categorizes them as occupying an 'early position' in a full ring game. Therefore, this initial player who acts pre-flop can be identified as UTG or EP1 (early position 1). preflop There are additional EP positions known as EP2 (or UTG+1) and EP3 (or UTG+2).
STRATEGY TIP: As strategic guidance suggests, players in early positions should generally opt for tighter hand ranges than those in middle or late positions. This approach helps compensate for their positional weaknesses and aims at maximizing potential profits while minimizing exploitability.
Following the Early Positions, we encounter the Middle Positions, starting with MP1. The next player situated three spots right of the dealer button is known as the Lojack (or MP2). In 6-max gameplay (often popular online), the player at the Lojack is effectively acting 'under the gun', as the big blind is directly adjacent to them. The Lojack is characterized by being in 'middle position'.
Next, the player to the Lojack's left is called the (HJ or MP3), contributing to the middle position category. middle-position ” at a full-ring poker table.
The two final players who must act before the blinds are classified as being in the 'late position'. First, we have the (BTN/BU) or dealer. Generally, players achieve their highest success rates from these late positions due to the advantage they hold each round of betting after the flop. Hijack Lastly, we have the blinds—the small blind and big blind . The predetermined amounts these players must bet before hands commence indicate the stakes being played.
NOTE: For instance, in many casinos, the lowest stakes game available features blinds of $1 and $2. This is commonly labeled 1/2 (pronounced one-two), or 200NL (players typically buy in using 100 big blinds). It is significant to note that while '200NL' is an appropriate label for this stake, players are not obligated to buy in for this maximum. Usually, initial buy-ins ranging from 20bb to 25bb are permitted in most poker rooms. Cutoff (CO) and last is the Button Even the top poker professionals face challenges with losses in the blinds over time. The requirement to make forced bets before any hands start and act first (with minimal information) in each post-flop betting round is a primary factor.
The true measure of an expert player is shown in their ability to minimize losses when playing the blinds. (For example, if your win rate in the big blind is -30bb per 100 hands, that would be considered an achievement. Simply folding all your hands would result in a loss of -100bb per 100 hands.) Abbreviations for Player Positions at a Poker Table
As noted earlier, each position at a poker table has a corresponding title that is commonly abbreviated.
The chart below illustrates both the complete name of each position and its abbreviation for gameplay in both 10-max (full-ring) and 6-max (shorthanded) scenarios.
Grasping the significance of position at the poker table is a fundamental aspect of becoming a successful poker player. The ability to interpret and discuss hand histories with others using specific player positions and abbreviations will be an essential element of your learning journey.
If you ever find yourself feeling overwhelmed by new concepts, there's no need for concern – with practice and time, it all becomes easier. The more you read articles like this and immerse yourself in the terminology of poker, the quicker and more intuitively you will understand.
Matthew Cluff is a poker enthusiast who specializes in 6-Max No Limit Hold’em games and occasionally contributes online poker content to various platforms.
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In Conclusion
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