Taking Position

The dealer position (known as the "button") is the best
position at the poker table.

The reason is because when you're on the button, you get to
act LAST after the flop... giving you the chance to see what
your opponents do first.

This lets you get a "read" on your opponents at the table...
and decide who has a strong hand, who has a weak hand, who's
bluffing, and so on.

OK, so that's common knowledge.

What's also common knowledge is the fact that LATE
POSITIONING is preferred over EARLY POSITIONING... because
once again, you get to see what your opponents do first
before it's your turn to bet, raise, call, or fold.

Of course, being on the button is BETTER than just plain
late positioning... because the button GUARANTEES that you
will be LAST TO ACT post-flop.

OK, now here's what is NOT common knowledge...

Once you understand positioning and its enormous
implications, you can begin "improving" your positioning and
setting yourself up for more pots each game.

The technique is called STEALING THE BUTTON.

It's simple... it's practical... and right when you're done
reading this newsletter you can immediately start using it.

Stealing the button is LEVERAGING your late positioning when
you're NOT on the button... but getting all the same
benefits as if you WERE on the button.

Remember, the dealer position is SO POWERFUL because it
means you're LAST to act post-flop.

Being SECOND TO LAST to act isn't nearly as good, especially
considering there's usually only three or four players to a
flop at an 8-man table.

So what you do is make a reasonable pre-flop RAISE when
you're in late positioning... and therefore force the player
on the button to fold.

Having done this, you'll be last to act after the flop...
the same as if you actually were on the button. (Hence the
name, "stealing the button").

OK, let's look at an example so you can see what I'm talking
about:

Let's say you're sitting two seats to the RIGHT of the
button at a 10-man table. The game is $1-2 no limit Holdem.

Two players limp-in... and you look down at your cards:

J-9 of clubs.

I call hands like these "semi-connectors"-- they're not
quite connected... but almost.

The great thing about semi-connectors is that they're a
"hidden hand". When they HIT (straight, flush, two pair...)
your opponents NEVER see it coming.

You decide to play your Jack-9 suited. Now remember, there
are two players BEHIND you that will act post-flop if they
both call the blinds.

So it's YOUR JOB to make sure they DON'T limp-in.

The solution is to crank up the pressure...

You make it $15 to play. Nothing crazy (after all, you don't
exactly have a monster). You simply want to force the two
players to your left to FOLD... which will happen most of
the time.

Of course, they won't always fold... because sometimes
they'll pick up a big hand. But odds arethey'll fold.

The RESULT, of course, is now YOU have the button.

Well, not the button exactly... but all the advantages that
it brings.

Sure enough, the two players to your left fold, and Josh--
who's in the big blind-- is the only caller.

The flop comes out:

10h-8d-Ks

No flush possibilities for you here, but BINGO, you've just
flopped an open-ended straight draw.

This is the type of flop you hoped for.

Now it's on Josh to act first. And this is where your
positioning is so important. Not only do you get to see what
Josh does first... but you also have the CONTROL in this
situation.

Since you made the pre-flop raise, Josh will likely check
the flop to you... giving you the opportunity to play
aggressively and take down this pot.

No matter what happens after this, you've set yourself up to
win this pot. Sometimes Josh will pick up a real hand and
come out firing... but usually not.

Sure enough in our example, Josh checks.

You throw out a $30 semi-bluff. This is a bet you should
make even WITHOUT the open-ender... because you made the
pre-flop raise.

Josh mucks it, and you rake the chips... leaving the table
wondering what you had.

That's how you "steal" the button. It's a simple, surefire
way to gain control at the table by improving your
positioning.

There are five main steps you need to know...

1. You need a playable hand.

If you're going to bluff, make it a "semi-bluff" by raising
with a hand that can hit... something like semi-connectors.

I personally don't like raising with 7-2 offsuit or crap
like that. It seems to me like an "ego raise" more than a
logical play.

Remember, the key is to gain that extra bit of control and
power by acting LAST after the flop.

2. Force out the player on the button (and possibly the
player to his right).

The whole point to stealing the button is to ACTUALLY STEAL
THE BUTTON. If you make a wussy raise that doesn't scare
anyone, you've failed.

If you're one seat to the right of the button, you want to
raise enough to force the player on the button out. If
you're TWO seats to the right, then you've got to force out
both players to your left.

One of the "secrets" to this process is to ALWAYS pay
attention to the pre-flop betting patterns of your opponents
on the left.

If you're sitting on the right of "Tight Tim" who only sees
flops when he's got pocket pairs, then you can steal the
button quite often.

On the other hand, if you're on the right of a LOOSE player,
you won't be able to steal the button nearly as much.

So pay attention.

3. After the flop, your opponents will usually check to you.

Notice if someone bets into you, beware. That's a red flag.
Usually players will check into you since you raised
pre-flop.

When players check into you that gives you the power to
either BET and try to steal the pot right there... OR... get
a free turn card by also checking.

While I normally recommend a bet, you can check to mix it up
once in awhile or in the case that you're getting
short-stacked.

4. Don't get pot-committed.

Remember, stealing the button is a simple technique that
improves your position and sets you up to have a BETTER
CHANCE at winning the hand.

Don't get stupid. Don't get stubborn and bet any amount in
hopes of bluffing out someone with a real hand.

Like I said, you need a playable hand to steal the button in
the first place.

Don't become pot-committed... Never bet so much that it's
PAINFUL to fold your cards after the flop.

5. Sometimes you don't need to raise to steal the button.

Often the blinds will be high enough where you figure simply
CALLING the big blind will get you the button (this is
especially true when you're to the right of a tight player).

Also, someone in front of you might raise the pot enough
that all you have to do is CALL THE RAISE and you'll get the
button.

OK, so that's the process...

Here are the two types of situations where you DO want to
steal the button...

DO STEAL THE BUTTON WHEN:

1. You sense weakness and want to steal the pot on a bluff
or hidden hand.

2. You have a good hand that you want to play post-flop.

On the other hand...

DO NOT STEAL THE BUTTON WHEN:

1. You have a poor hand and you sense someone else has a
strong hand.

2. You think someone to your left will call a raise no
matter what (that defeats the purpose).

The MOST IMPORTANT lesson you can get from all this is to
realize that winning poker depends on ALL THE LITTLE THINGS.

Stealing the button is just a little technique for setting
yourself up for better positioning... it's not a "game
changing" strategy that will double your poker profits or
anything.

But when you combine it with ALL THE OTHER LITTLE THINGS--
like establishing the right table image, throwing out feeler
bets, representing the flop at the right times, buying free
cards, picking up betting patterns, spotting tells, and
more-- then you will become a DYNAMIC and POWERFUL poker
player...

AND THEN your poker profits will double.

A lot of amateurs base their games on the "big hands" and
might get lucky once in awhile. But over time, the REAL
MONEY always goes to the GRINDERS... the guys who know how
to CONSISTENTLY take down pots.

It takes a lot of discipline, don't get me wrong.

But you can do it.

Dangerous Mistake Playing Out of Position

Here is a DANGEROUS MISTAKE that I'd say about 97% of people
make when playing Texas Holdem:

THEY DON'T KNOW THE RIGHT METHOD FOR PLAYING IN FIRST
POSITION, BEFORE THE FLOP.

This is the player immediately to the left of the big blind.
It's the first person to act as soon as the cards are dealt.

This position is nicknamed "under the gun".

And with good reason, too.

Because this is THE most DANGEROUS and COSTLY position at
the table.

Here's why:

1. When you're under the gun, you are FIRST to act BEFORE
the flop... and one of the first to act AFTER the flop.

This means you DON'T EVEN GET A CHANCE to get a read on the
other players before you must make your decisions about
betting...

2. The other players can check-raise you, trap you, and get
a READ on YOU much more easily when you're in this position
at the table...

3. You are more likely to get bluffed, pushed around, out
drawn, and BEAT when you're in this position.

Let's examine WHY this table position is so terrible... and
what proven strategies you can use to play under the gun
PROPERLY, so that you don't lose any more money because of
it.

Here's an example...

Let's say you're under the gun at an 8-man table.

You get your cards and look down at an A-10 off-suit. You
decide to limp in, and you call the big blind (50).

The action goes around the table to the other players. The
man on the button (Don) decides to RAISE and make it 300
total to play.

You're not sure if this is a position raise, or if he really
does have a solid hand.

With all the chips already in the pot... plus the 50 you
already put in from your own stack, you decide to call with
your A-10.

There's one other caller, and both the big blind and small
blind players fold.

The flop comes out:

A-3-6

All different suits.

You've hit top pair. Congratulations.

What sucks is that you're FIRST to act, and you know that
Don is probably going to raise you no matter what you do...

But you don't have a read on Don or the other player. If Don
raises, you have to call, right? I mean, you hit top pair in
a raised pot.

So let's say you throw out a "feeler bet", just to see where
you're at.

Don calls, and the other guy folds.

Hmmmm... so now you wonder if Don is SLOW-PLAYING a big
hand or if he's just going to bluff at this.

The turn comes. It's an 8.

You check... and now Don bets 1000.

What now?

You're "pot committed" and you still have top-pair, so you
decide to call.

Now the river comes, you check again, and Don goes all-in
for 3000 more.

You've already got about 1500 in the pot. You're getting
over 2:1 on your money, and you're really not sure if Don's
bluffing or not. So you call...

And sure enough, Don throws over his Big Slick (A-K), and
rakes in the pot.

Ouch.

And the REASON you lost that big pot wasn't just the
cards... it was your POSITIONING.

If you're under the gun and you hit top pair on the flop,
you're just ASKING for trouble...

Because it's very difficult to get an accurate read on your
opponents when you're first to act.

I mean... let's just look at the many ways you can LOSE your
money when playing under the gun:

- If you call the blinds, but then the pot gets raised
before the flop and you fold. (You've lost your blinds.)

- If you call the blinds (and maybe a pre-flop raise) and
the flop is no help to you. You check, and there's a big bet
by another player and you are forced to fold.

- If you bet after the flop but get raised and are forced to
fold.

- If you have a good hand but someone else has a MONSTER and
slow-plays you. (It's much easier for someone to slow-play
you when you're first to act.)

- And more...

Now multiply all of these LOSSES by the number of times you
will be under the gun every single time you play cards.

The result is a TON of lost chips...

But I do have good news:

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.

You don't have to lose money every time you're first to act
before the flop...

You just have to know EXACTLY WHICH HANDS TO PLAY and HOW TO
PLAY THEM.

Let's take a look...

In our example above, the biggest mistake made was playing
A-10 in the first place.

Since under the gun positioning is so dangerous, you
shouldn't play anything except PREMIUM HANDS.

The rule is this: TIGHTEN UP YOUR GAME.

Only play these exact hands:

A-K, A-Q, K-Q, and pairs.

The only other hand you may want to play is suited
connectors, but that just depends on your style...
Personally, I don't like to play them here.

OK, now let's look at HOW to play the starting hands. There
are basically two groups:

Group 1: A-A, K-K, Q-Q, and A-K.

Group 2: A-Q, K-Q, and all other pairs.

Got it?

Now stick with me here, because this is VERY SIMPLE to
understand and will save you a lot of money at the Holdem
tables.

When you're under the gun, you should always CALL THE BLINDS
(LIMP-IN) when you get any hand in Group 2.

That means if you get any pair between 2's and Jacks... or
A-Q or K-Q... you should CALL.

Period.

The goal is to hit something good on the flop. If someone
makes a reasonable raise before the flop, you can feel
comfortable calling it with one of these hands.

I love playing small pocket pairs, because if you spike your
card on the flop (giving you a three of a kind or a "set"),
your opponents will usually never see it coming.

Now let's talk about Group 1 hands. The monsters:

A-A, K-K, Q-Q, A-K

The way you play these depends on whether the table you're
at is LOOSE or TIGHT.

Here's the rule:

If you're at a LOOSE table (where a lot of pre-flop raises
occur), you should LIMP-IN (call) with your monster.

If you're at a TIGHT table (where not many pre-flop raises
occur), you should RAISE the pot before the flop.

Here's why...

If the table is LOOSE, and you limp-in before the flop, the
pot will most likely get RAISED and the action will come
BACK to you.

This is good. It means more money in the pot for your
monster hand.

But if you make a big bet, there's a good chance you will
NOT get raised. Because you're first to act and everyone
will know you probably have a good hand.

If you limp-in and the pot gets raised, you should probably
make a RE-RAISE. Always try to get as much money in the pot
whenever possible with your monster hand...

But you DON'T want more than 1-2 callers, because that would
increase the odds of catching a bad beat.

Now if the table is TIGHT, you want to make a RAISE before
the flop. You don't want a bunch of players to all limp-in
and see a cheap flop...

Instead, you want to narrow down the field to 1-2 players
and get some money in the middle before the flop. Period.

Playing first position before the flop is just plain
tricky...

You're first to act pre-flop, in early position after the
flop, you can't get as good of a read on your opponents, and
you're at risk to getting slow-played.

So just remember, the next time you're under the gun, follow
these three simple rules:

1. Only play premium hands: pairs, AK, AQ, or KQ.

2. With AA, KK, QQ, and AK, you should RAISE at a tight
table and LIMP-IN at a loose table.

3. With the other starting hands you should just LIMP-IN.

Play by these easy rules and you'll stop losing money and
start MAKING money from this very dangerous position.

And you'll have a MAJOR ADVANTAGE over everyone else at the
table who DOESN'T know this strategy.

Which brings me to my next point...

You should always try to have MORE POKER KNOWLEDGE than the
other guys at the table... because if you do, you've
literally "stacked the deck" in your favor.

But if other guys you're up against know MORE about the game
than YOU, you're going to be in DEEP TROUBLE...

Because poker is a SKILL game... and it is very complex. If
you want to learn how to play and WIN, you've got to know
the strategies and techniques of the pros.

From: Roy Rounder Oct 12, 2007

Position

Position refers to the order in which players are seated around the table and the strategic consequences of this. Generally, players in earlier position (who have to act first) need stronger hands to bet or raise than players in later position. For example, if there are five opponents yet to act behind a player, there is a greater chance one of the opponents will have a better hand than if there was only one opponent yet to act. Being in late position is an advantage because a player gets to see how his opponents in earlier position act (which provides the player more information about their hands than they have about his). Position is one of the most vital elements to understand in order to be a long-term winning player. As a player's position improves, so too does the range of cards with which he can profitably enter a hand. Conversely this commonly held knowledge can be used to an intelligent poker player's advantage. If playing against observant opponents in tournament style play (when the amount of chips one has is finite, which is to say there are no 'rebuys') then a raise with any two cards can 'steal the blinds,' if executed against passive players at an opportune time.