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Poker Magazine providing reviews of popular online poker rooms, Poker Tips, |
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Online Poker Tips - Positional Advantage in PokerMost advantages that poker players have they either learn or earn, but there's one important advantage that comes around with every round; of course we're talking about positional advantage. If the term “positional advantage” is new to you then perhaps “dealer advantage” makes more sense. We're not talking about how you stacked the deck at Christmas, either. Dealer and positional advantage refer to the very simple but very real benefit that comes from sitting in a later position during a hand. In casual live games you may actually get to deal the cards, but when you're playing real poker either live or online the dealer position at a table is strictly symbolic. In live poker, an actual casino employee generally handles the dealing duties whereas in online poker the cards are dealt automatically. While this eliminates the aforementioned ability to stack the deck, the rotating dealer button still gives players a little power boost by way of betting position. Here's how positional advantage works. Say you're playing Texas Hold'em, where there are two blind positions to the left of the dealer. These two positions are required to lead off the bets, followed by the rest of the table going clockwise. That means that the player sitting in the dealer position is the last to bet. Any good poker player knows that reading your opponents is key to beating them, so sitting in this last position gives you a chance to evaluate all the other players based on their pre-flop bets prior to making your own move. While the dealer position is obviously considered to be the best, sitting behind the dealer a seat or two isn't bad either. Of course positional advantage is largely relative to the number of players at the table. If, for example, you're at a table of eight then watching every other player fold or call tells you pretty clearly that no one's got a good hand. In heads-up action, though, positional advantage is nearly non-existent except for the fact that you're paying the smaller blind. Speaking of blinds, this is another important aspect of positional advantage, especially if you're short-stacked in a tournament and the blinds have just increased. Sitting in a late position in this scenario gives you more time to choose the big move you're inevitably going to have to make, whereas sitting just in front of the blinds will likely mean you'll have your big move forced upon you when it's your turn to pay. Regardless of what kind of game you're playing – whether it's a ring game or a tournament – it's important that you use your positional advantage wisely when it comes around. If you're in need of a chip infusion, then sitting in the dealer position during a weak hand gives you an ideal opportunity to steal the blinds. Likewise, if the stakes are high and you're unsure of the strength of your hand, betting last not only gives you a chance to interpret the relative strength of your cards but also gives you a chance to make a big impression on opponents that seem to be waffling over their own cards.
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