Position is More Than Everything

This is about Omaha8 but I think it helped me improve my holdem game. For those uninitiated, Omaha8 is a game where there are like 5 good starting hands (basically having the value of AA in holdem) against a field of ragged, craptastic hands. So when you've got the goods, you have to think of ways to build big pots by not reraising an early position raiser...you want a bunch of people in there, calling a lot of bets. Check/calling is actually an amazing way to build some monster pots (feigns weakness, induces bluffers, diverts attention from your hand).

However, what builds the biggest pots is position. The ideal spot in Omaha8 is to the right of an aggressive player. When the guy acting after you raises, and a field of 19 limpers calls, you have the opportunity to triple a pot that would have been a single bet had he not raised. While being on the button does give you position, in all cases it's much more preferable to be on the right of Kamikaze.

In any poker game, you've got to think about which position at the table leads to generation of the largest pots for the game you're playing. If I"m playing limit holdem, I want to be to the left of the kamize to play correctly...preflop decisions, based on pot size, are crucial in low limit holdem. Otherwise, it's nice to have position on a "limp field," or a string of like 2-3 players who want to come in on every hand. You can really hammer on them preflop with raises on strong hands, and you also get a good estimate of the pot size since they've generating most of the action.

In NL, I want to be ahead of a relatively weak field of players...so I can hammer on their blinds. It's also best to be after the kamikaze, so you can get out of their way and sting them on your strong hands.

Seat position is the difference between having a break-even session ("I was playing really well, but I just could seem to make the big money"), versus one of those juicy, scrum-diddly-umscious "You're not going to believe how much money I made" sessions.

Hear Hear

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Originally Posted by goolick

Hear Hear

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*sits down with bryan on his right and mike on his left*

Good post
For short handed hold em' I make more money on the button than any other spots combined probobly cause it is so easy to raise preflop, have people check around to you out of fear, bet and take down the pot. If someone bets out into you when you showed strength preflop, then they most likely got it.

Position is the easiest way to make money

for some reason i've found that in $25NL ring games, i can steal small pots from first position more effectively than late.. when you bet in late position most of the time people won't believe you, but when you bet in first position its a sign of strength and people will likely fold, esp if the flop is scary

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Originally Posted by fkn2pt

for some reason i've found that in $25NL ring games, i can steal small pots from first position more effectively than late.. when you bet in late position most of the time people won't believe you, but when you bet in first position its a sign of strength and people will likely fold, esp if the flop is scary

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If the only reason people are calling you is cause you are in last position, it sounds like you are playing against calling stations then. in that case i wouldnt even bother trying to take it because as you said, nobody will believe you. Only bet your big hands. Im not so sure raising in first position is a good idea unless you have a REALLY tight table image(tight enough to make then throw away TPTK without second thought) or are against a really tight table. Because you have very little information on your opponents, and if it is a multiway pot, then unless you hit pretty well, betting will probobly only isolate you against someone with a better hand then yours.[/u]