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Server Time: 11/21/2008 6:16:43 PM PACIFIC |
 Holdem Position (for newbies), Nathaniel Brous, 3. Jul 2003 12:07 | ||
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| This post is directed to the starting players. A common concept that most beginning players understand instinctively is starting with premium hands. I believe Larry "Wanyo" Phillips (Zen/Tao poker) likened playing bad cards to starting a footrace handicapped with a ball and chain. That is a valid analogy, and one that can easily be pictured in the mind's eye. Position is a concept that tends to bewilder new players for a while. A decent analogy for playing "out of position" might be... trying to build a complicated desk/child's toy/whatever WITHOUT directions. It can be done yes. However... you have a much better chance of finishing the task successfully (without false starts), when you use all the information available to you. Position provides you with INFORMATION AND OPPORTUNITY. Each hand is a mini battle in this war we call poker. By properly taking position into account, you can turn some losses into draws(even), some draws into wins, and also cut your losses early (saving your men {chips} from a hopeless battle). Basics. In many posts you will see acronyms like UTG. These are generally designations of position. Because position is of absolute importance (and stagnant) in holdem, it is pretty much a requirement to provide the reader with accurate information. In a nut shell...the closer you are to the Button (last to act after flop) the more power (information) and options you have. Acronyms...SB=small blind, BB=big blind, UTG=under the gun (first position after blinds), UTG+1=(etc.), EP=early position, MP=middle position, LP=late position, CO=cut off (last before button). Preflop. You have 109h. A purely speculative hand. Where are you? If you are in early position, you will never know unless you flop the nuts. If you call in early position, you may have to face real or isolation raises with a dog of a hand. But...it gets worse. If you don't give up on the hand, you will be in the same boat on every street. People who consistently do this are gluttons for punishment. Having the button gives you a lot of flexibility. The likelihood of a raise is diminished. You are fairly certain of your risk vs reward. You have many more opportunities to steal the pot. With your position...you will have the best information throughout the hand. In other words, the future is a lot less cloudy. Make it a habit to know EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE even before the cards are dealt. Also...as you watch your opponents enter or fold out of the hand, keep in mind THEIR position and what hands they will call with in that position. After folding, watch the game (especially showdowns) and replay their hand in relationship to their position. It is sometimes possible to ascertain the strength of an opponent by replaying a single hand. - Nathaniel Brous | ||
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| Re: Holdem Position (for newbies), jumpthru, 3. Jul 2003 13:57 | ||
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| Thanks! That was very helpful...one thing... UTG is the person first to act after the BB correct? What is CO? The person to the RIGHT of the button? So second best position? Correct? | ||
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| Re: Holdem Position (for newbies), Risky Business, 3. Jul 2003 14:05 | ||
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| Under the Gun is "first to act". Use it that way, because after the flop, the left of the dealer is UTG, not necessarily left of BB. Cut-off can be used that way, or halfway through the table, because once you enter into later positions, expect a raise if nobody else has called. > What is CO? The person to the RIGHT of the button? So second best position? Correct? | ||
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| Re: Holdem Position (for newbies), Nathaniel Brous, 3. Jul 2003 15:01 | ||
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| There is a poker dictionary at the bottom of the UPF if anyone's phrases stump you. - Nathaniel Brous cutoff (n) cutoff seat. "I opened from the cutoff." cutoff seat (n phrase) The position to the right of the button. "I opened from the cutoff seat." UTG (n) Shorthand, particularly in e-mail and Internet postings, for under the gun. Sometimes utg. under the gun (adv phrase) To the dealer's left; often refers to the first person to bet in a particular round. | ||
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| Re: Holdem Position (for newbies), flintsword, 3. Jul 2003 20:00 | ||
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| Great message Nathaniel. Your next message (to build on your first) should deal with what position does to the information you get. Being on the button with JT suited where UTG raises is different from everyone folding to you. With a raise, your hand has to improve a LOT to be playable. flintsword | ||
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| Re: Holdem Position (for newbies), Nathaniel Brous, 3. Jul 2003 23:56 | ||
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| Hey flintsword. Fine idea. I hereby turn the reins over to you. Gather your thoughts and have a go at it. I find poker a difficult subject to write about. The reason for this...is the way so many subjects overlap or are intertwined. I try to speak in generalities because poker is so situational with it's innumerable variables and I am not really interested in writing a novel. I have often scrapped a prospective post because of the many tangents my brain was going on and I realized that I don't really have time to do it justice. Thank you for your kind words. - Nathaniel Brous | ||
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