There are several factors to consider in winning a poker game and most of these factors, you learn to control or deal with. However, there is one factor over which you have very little control. Your position on the table depends on the initial positioning and it changes throughout the game. Thus, you could seldom choose your position in a game.

Your position refers to the order by which you are to make your bet. Position matters in a poker game.

Under the Gun

The first position after the blinds is the worst position that you could be in. You could usually be in this position even though you were not primarily in this position. This happens when the players seated before you fold.

Being positioned first is considered the worst since you are not given any free information. Players after you will have your and other players’ move on which to base their decision to bet or fold, whereas you will have to make a decision based on your hole cards and sheer guts. This is the reason why the person to the left of the blind is dubbed to be ‘under the gun’ or UTG.

The Button

Last position or the Button position is the best position to be in because you basically have the actions of all the other players to base your decision on. You also have the chance to be master of the pot as your bet will determine how big the bets are in the following rounds.

There are several advantages to being the button and a good poker player should know how to maximize them. The expected value of your hand becomes greater when you’re last. You also have the least risk since you can decide to fold after speculating on the strength of your opponents’ cards based on their actions during that particular betting round.

Position does have a great effect through out the game. Nevertheless, as I have said earlier in the game, there are a lot of factors that affects a poker game. Position is just one of these factors.

Since you have little control over this factor, it would be a waste of time and effort to waste your resources on it. Perhaps, you can manipulate your starting position at the start of the game, but that’s the extent of your control over this factor. Having said that, however, you still need to learn how to maximize the advantages and minimize the disadvantages of your position, whatever it happens to be at the moment.