Ask any military person about what it takes to win a battle and he will tell you that POSITION counts for a lot. For this reason, maps and other navigational equipment are a key element in planning any military action.

In the ‘small’ battlefield known as the poker table, position is equally important. Understanding how your position can be used to your advantage changes the game from being one of plain and simple luck, to a game of skill, knowledge and experience.

The Late Position

The key to winning poker hands is INFORMATION and you can get this if you are in a position where you can observe your opponents. The best position in poker (especially in the community card games like Hold’em) is to be behind the dealer’s button.

From the dealer’s position, you can watch the play unfold. The knowledge gained from watching the other players plus your own hole cards, gives you the time and opportunity to run calculations in your head and make a decision – call, raise or fold?.

Getting a strong hand and being in the dealer’s position is one of the best of all possible worlds in poker. You can control the game – playing possum by betting just enough to stay in the game and letting the pot grow or, if you’re holding a relatively weak hand, pinpoint those who pose a threat (e.g. those who may have stronger hands than you) and then push them into folding – leaving you with the pot.

The Early Position

Getting into the early seats of the game, however, changes the picture – the pressure will be on you – uncertainty and indecision will yours every second. If you’re on first or second, bets are mandatory – small and big blinds are expected from these two positions.

This is where strategy comes into the picture. Getting a good hand may tempt you into making a strong opening bet – which tells everyone else that you’re flying high and that it may be best to fold – in which case, you get a small pot for your trouble. Thus, the best option when holding a strong hand and you’re in first or second position is to play cool – and ambush the other players when the time is right.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that a weak hand and an early position mean you’re in a position to bluff. Remember, other players have their own cards – and if someone has a strong enough hand, he or she may call you and walk away with YOUR chips.

Winning at poker means that you have to learn to use every means at your disposal to gain control of the hand and the pot. While cards are important, knowing how to play from your position is just as important. Whether you’re at the button or in the early places, however, keeping cool and playing tight, aggressive poker is going to be the minimum cost of entry.