Pro Texas Holdem Strategy

Basic Concepts Of Positions

Let’s break down the ten seat poker table. All other positions are labeled according to where the dealer is. The dealer has that white puck in front of him. He’s got the button. Having the button is highly coveted in poker. The button acts last on all post-flop betting rounds if he hasn’t already folded. He is also the last to act pre-flop before the blinds make their plays.

To the dealer’s left is the small blind, to his left, the big blind. These players and the first player to act pre-flop are considered early position. The next three positions are the middle, and the three before the button are the late positions on the table. For illustration purposes, the small blind will be referred to as position #1, big blind #2 and so on around the table. 1, 2 and 3 are early; 4,5 and 6 are middle; and 7,8 and 9 are late. 10 is the button.

So, what difference does it make, which position you’re in? How to play according to your position is the most important skill you can learn in Texas Hold ‘Em, be it low-limit, high-limit, no-limit or pot-limit, you’ve got to consider how many players will be deciding what to do after you make your play.

Early Position:

In the early positions, you’ve got to be very selective which hands you play aggressively. With some hands you’d love to be able to see flops. Hands like small suited connectors or somewhat strong aces like A-9 or A-10, might not be appropriate to push with from early position. A small raise may be enough to win a pot from early position, but there is a good chance you will be re-raised before the flop is exposed.

Playing a mediocre hand from early position is risky for other reasons. If you aren’t as aggressive as you might be from a later position, you’ll allow others with weaker hands to stick around and perhaps catch a nice flop. Since you’ll have to act first or at least early from your position, you’ll be vulnerable to better hands developing as the betting goes around the table.

On the other hand, if you do get dealt a premium hand from early position, by all means push some chips into the pot. If you choose to slow play those rockets from early position, you’ll have too much opposition to comfortably proceed unless you flop a monster.

Keep an eye on early position. If they aggressively come after a pot, you’ll have to give them credit for having strong hand. Only a tight player can usually get away with bluffing out of early position. If you try that too often, eventually someone is going to catch you as they’ve picked up a stronger hand and are still in a better position than you are.

Middle Position:

Middle position is slightly different. In fact, as you get closer to the dealer, you can consider playing more hands. You will have to work this into your knowledge of the other players at the table. Players who are always aggressive are tough to read because you know they are capable of playing anything from anywhere.

Middle position hands will include smaller pocket pairs. In early position, playing 5-5 aggressively is a risky proposition. In middle position it’s not as much of a risk as long as someone hasn’t raised in front of you. Also, most face card combinations are playable. Some of the better suited connectors also become playable.

For More On Playing Middle Position

Late Position, Dealer Button:

Players in late position have their entire play book available to them. In other words any hand that you would play, small pairs, suited connectors or unsuited high cards would be appropriate to play and play hard if you see fit.

The button will often raise just because he’s in the best position. Certainly any hand you want to play can be raised from the button. Beware that many players won’t respect that raise as much as it could be perceived that you are just trying to steal the pot.

Some players in the big blind will try to “protect” their blind by calling most raises regardless of their cards. This is also a risky proposition as cards that weren’t so strong before another player raised didn’t get stronger because of that raise. It is possible that an increased pot size will make odds more favorable for a marginal hand.

Playing Positions Overview:

To summarize: In early position be very selective about which hands you’ll play. Respect raises that come after you. Folding isn’t so bad, especially if the raising player is usually tight or often has the good hand his betting is representing.

In middle position, you can open up the numbers of hands you’ll play. Beware that half the table is behind you and if they’ve got a history of raising, you may be asked to put more of your chips into the pot than what you were willing to risk before.

Most hands that you like to play are eligible to play in late position. If no one has raised before the play gets to you, don’t be shy about putting the button or the blinds to the test. You may be able to take down pots before the flop.

Playing hands from the button gives you two powerful tools. You can play even marginal hands aggressively especially if the table has been passive until then in the play of the hand. And, if no one is betting as the board materializes, you’ll be able to see more cards.

Most importantly as the hand progresses, you as the button, will be able to assess all the betting, checking and folding as be able to determine your best course of action. As the button, you are the only one at the table who’ll have all that information to act on.

How you play a hand could be considered a sliding scale with the most hands and most aggression toward the button, and the least hands and least aggression in the early part of the scale.