One of the most important lessons to learn in hold’em is just how powerful position is. Anyone who knows even a little about hold’em has been told that position is important, but even a short visit to the low limit tables will show you that this concept is not understood at all by most players.

If your in position you can maximize profits and minimize losses.

I’m going to try to give a couple simple (and true) examples of how to use position and why position is so important.

(preflop play removed to shorten histories)

Villain ($77.65)
Hero ($142.05)

Hero has K, A.

Flop: ($8.50) 2, T, 5 (2 players)
Villain checks, Hero bets $5, Villain calls $5.

Turn: ($18.50) 9 (2 players)
Villain checks, Hero checks.

River: ($18.50) A (2 players)
Villain bets $7, Hero raises to $14, Villain calls $7.

Hero wins Pot: $46.50

On the flop, I make a continuation bet which he calls. At this point I suspect he has the better hand, and i'm willing to give him the pot.

But, because I have position on him, he doesnt know that i'm weak until it's to late. He checks to me on the turn expecting me to bet and instead I check and get to see the river for free. position gave me the ace on the river for free. Then position also allowed me to make another $7 on the hand because I was able to reraise his bet on the river.

Now lets see what this hand would have been like out of position....

Villain ($77.65)
Hero ($142.05)

Hero has K, A.

Flop: ($8.50) 2, T, 5 (2 players)
Hero bets $5, Villain calls $5.

Turn: ($18.50) 9 (2 players)
Hero checks, Villain bets $7, Hero folds.

Hero loses Pot: $18.50

I make that same continuation bet on the flop, and he calls, just like last time. However, this time when the turn arrives I must act first. I dont want to put money into the pot with the worse hand so I must check. He then bets and I must fold my hand because of the bad odds i'm getting. Even if i had made the bad call and reached my ace on the river I still would have won less on the hand because he would have called my bet and I would have never had the chance to reraise him on the river.