PokerPart 1: General Positional Play
Nope, "Positional Play" isn't some form of sex game, it's an important part of any semi-serious player's understanding of the game. There are three general areas of position and 4 specific positions that need discussion. In this article let's look at the general areas...
Let's presume you are in a 9 person tournament game. The button indicates where the virtual dealer is and the players act from the left of this button, clockwise. This means if you are the first player going clockwise from this button you will post the small blind. The second player from this button with post the big blind and the third player will be the first to speak after the cards are dealt (the nickname for that position is "Under the Gun").
Under-The-Gun and the next two players to bet after him are in what we call "Early Position".
The next three players are in Mid Position and the last three (consisting of the player who is nominal dealer and the two blinds) are in Late Position.
In early position you should play only quality hands. You should be much more selective about the hands you chose to limp in with here because there are so many players to act after you that you may well have to call a raise to see a flop. Playing hands like 89 of spades here is a bit crazy because you can't realistically call a decent raise with it. As we will see later, if you were in late position 89 of spades may well be worth calling the blinds.
On tables where there is commonly a raise put in before the flop and where no one seems to be paying attention to positional play, I'll simply call with AA in early position so that if/when someone raises and a few people call I can bet All-In and either win a reasonable pot or tempt someone to call me, knowing I'm well ahead! Any decent player will be very wary of a flat call in early position from a player they respect!
Conversely Early Position can be a great place to put in a steal as good players will respect a medium sized raise from the early position. This is a semi-advanced play though as it may require you to represent something on the flop to maintain the bluff.
Mid Position in many ways is the worst position to be in. You may be facing a raise from early position and you still don't know what the guys behind you are going to do. All the same, you are later in the round of betting and so can play hands like Q9 and KJ with a clear conscience! If a player in early position simply calls you need to be careful but you can also use it to your advantage. If you ALSO simply call it will discourage players behind you from raising on a bluff. They may even think "I'll simply call with my AK and see if I get an A or a K on the flop, just to be sure".
Late Position is where every player wants to be. You see all of the action in front of you and have a lot of information you can use to make your decision to fold, call or raise. Frequently if it has been folded around to the players in late position, one of them will raise it on a steal. Most commonly it will be the player who has the button. Remember that the players in the blinds were forced to put out the blinds before they saw their cards. It's unlikely they have a hand they want to play with, let alone call a raise with! Late position allows you to call with more speculative hands like 89 suited or KJ off-suit.