March 13, 2008

Texas Holdem Tip #6 - Position Can Be Negated

This texas holdem tip comes as a convergence from a number of poker hands that I have been analyzing recently. Many books will talk about the power of betting position in texas holdem. Basically it comes down to this … the last person to bet has the advantage of seeing what all the other players do before making a decision and putting your chips at risk. The later you are, the better your position. This is an incredible advantage to be exploited at the tables.

But, the advantage of position can be reduced or negated. Suppose that you are playing a hand heads up against an opponent with position. You have missed the flop, but you place a bet and your opponent calls. The turn card does not help you nor does it improve the table very much. You know that if you check, your opponent will take a stab at the pot possibly with a large bet. If they do that, then you are in the uncomfortable position of having to determine whether or not they are bluffing. Their position definitely puts you at a disadvantage. So what do you do?

Make a bet. In this situation, your opponent will likely fold or call with a weak hand and raise with a strong hand. Either way, you have found out cheaply what you are up against.

Here is the principle. Being the first one to bet has the power to negate positional strength. When you bet, it forces everyone else to make a decision and removes the option of seeing additional cards for free. Opponents must now react to the bet and *you* now have the advantage of being able to see what everyone else does before you must make another decision. Take some time and practice this aggressive strategy.

This is especially powerful when playing with tight players or those who like to check frequently to try and see cards for free. It forces them to fold and gives the positional advantage to you. Use the texas holdem tip to take the advantage away from your opponents. See you at the tables …