Position is your placing at the table, relative to where the dealer button is. The player in the dealer button spot has the best placement whilst the players in early position (small blind, big blind, under-the-gun) have the worst position.
It can’t be overstated how crucial position is in a poker game. A player in position will have the most information to make a decision, can most effectively control the size of the pot and is best placed to win a hand.
A simple example illustrates the significance of position.
Example:
How should you approach these hands differently?
1) You are dealt king-jack under the gun.
2) You are dealt king-jack on the button.
Well, despite having the same hand in both situations, typically you should fold the first hand and raise the second hand (there are exceptions to this).
The reason they play so differently is that in the first example, you will typically run into a better hand 40% of the time. Although this means you will have the best hand 60% of the time, it will be difficult for you to play the hand through later streets against someone with position on you and will open yourself to being outplayed.
In the second example, you are much more likely to have the best hand and will have more information to bluff effectively on occasions where you would lose the pot at showdown.
Controlling Pot Size
A further benefit of being in position is being able to make the pot bigger with bigger hands and control the pot size with medium-strength hands. Suppose you raise Kc 9c to 250 from late position and the big blind calls.
The flop comes Kh Js 3c. (pot size 550.)
The big blind bets 300. Now your hand is good, but not amazing so you may decide to just flat call here, rather than swell the pot. If you have the best hand, you will be in position to make further bets down the streets for value or consider folding if faced with stiff resistance. You call.
The turn is the 3d. (pot size 1,150) The big blind checks. Again you can check or bet here, depending on your read of the situation. You decide to check.
The river is the 5c. The big blind checks. You bet out 650 and he calls, showing Jd Qs. You win the 2,450 pot.
This is a fairly standard hand where a relatively mediocre hand won you a decent size pot, based on your position. The big blind had less information to go on so was not able to avoid losing chips whilst you controlled the pot size to enable you to win chips off inferior hands and limit your losses against stronger hands.
Tips on achieving position in hands
1) Avoid playing hands in early position where possible.
2) Enter pots with raises to drive out players in position behind you.
3) Isolate limpers when in positions like the hijack, cut-off and button.
4) Exercise more strict hand starting requirements in earlier positions, and loosen up raising requirements in later position.
Once you identify the strength of playing pots in position, you will begin to pick up many more uncontested pots and learn to build your stack without being dealt monster hands and having to go to showdown less often.
Position is your friend and can be one of your greatest weapons at the poker table.