The positions at the table are established according to the dealer. Here are some landmarks that you have to consider from the beginning. They can be considered true “tips”, because if you take into account them, they will reward you as:
The blinds are to be avoided. Do not be fooled by the fact that you act the last pre-flop and that you have already put sheets in Pot. In each round of subsequent betting you will have to speak first, which hugely make your goal. Be careful to play only good hands in this position, because, probably, you will win the least of these positions.
Button is ideal. If the blinds are the hardest positions, the button (dealer position) is located at the opposite pole. You will have the guarantee that you are the last to make the post-flop decision, thus storing all the information transmitted by the actions of others. The middle positions are to play, the closer to Button being in a more privileged position.
At the poker table there are the following positions
Early Position – also called “Under the Gun” (UTG+1, UTG+2, UTG+3). When you play from this position you are in the beating of the kid and it is very dangerous. You act first, you have no information about what others have or what players are going to do.
Middle Position – Middle Position 1 and Hijack (HJ). Already three opponents have acted, so you can get a better idea whether or not you are worth investing in an pot. Knowledge means power, and those in Middle Position have some precious information about what is happening at the table.
Late Position – Cutoff (CO) and Button (Bu). After those in this position, only the blinds “speak”. And this is only before the flop, because once the boarding board the players occupy these positions will act the last. As a result, all the data provided by others will store.
Not by chance, you will notice in the image below that each position respects the colors of the traffic light. In other words, depending on the place occupied at the table, you should make the decision accordingly. The poker fold is required when you are around the red color, respectively the call or raise (green). I mean, of course, at times when you have no premium books. The latter require raise or call, almost independent of position.
Why do you have to play tight from UTG
The arguments are multiple, but if we were to summarize the most important two, they are:
The probability of being dominated is high. When several players are about to evolve after you, there is a great probability that one of them has a better hand. For example, if you get K-10 offsuited, in 71% of the cases someone will be over you. He will come up with most situations and force you to fold without seeing the common books. The option in which you pay with such a book, to have access to common books, it is even more “sinful”, costing you long.
The out of position game is extremely harmful. When you are in the Early Position, you will be the first to act on each of the streets. You will not have access to valuable information from opponents and you will have to make decisions without a very good knowledge of the things you encounter.