Position and Hand Selection the Backbone of Sound Poker Strategy

In the game of Texas Hold ‘Em, position is everything. It’s almost like having the dealer show their cards in blackjack before you decide to hit or stay. Your position at the poker table dictates the range of hands you should be playing, influencing your strategy more than any other single factor. If you’re looking to learn how to win at poker and beat small-stakes cash games, mastering the art of position is a crucial first step. Let’s break down how position impacts hand selection, with specific examples to highlight the difference between early, middle, and late position play.

Understanding Position: The Basics

In a standard game of Texas Hold ‘Em, position refers to where you sit in relation to the dealer button. Here’s a quick rundown:

Early Position (EP): This includes the first three players to the left of the dealer (Small Blind, Big Blind, & UTG).
Middle Position (MP): The next three players after early position (UTG+1, MP, & LoJack).
Late Position (LP): The last three players to act are referred to as the HiJack, Cutoff (CO), & Button (BTN).

The closer you are to the button, the more information you have about your opponents’ actions before you make your decision. This additional information is the key reason why position is so crucial in poker. To beat small-stakes cash games, understanding and leveraging this information is key.

Early Position: Tight is Right

In early position, you’re in the most vulnerable spot. With several players yet to act behind you post-flop, the likelihood of facing a strong hand increases. This means your hand selection needs to be rock solid. From early position, you want to stick to premium hands that can hold up against multiple opponents.

Playable Hands in Early Position:

Pocket Pairs: AA, KK, QQ, JJ – These are your bread and butter. They have strong equity against any two random cards and can sustain action from multiple players.
Big Aces: AKs, AQs, AJs – Suited big aces are strong because they have the potential for both top pair and flush draws. However, hands like AJo or ATs should be treated with caution as they can lead to tricky spots if overplayed.
Suited Connectors: 76s, 87s – Wait, what? In early position? Yes, but only in specific scenarios, such as in very passive games where you won’t face a 3-bet, deep-stack games, or when you’re comfortable post-flop. Generally, suited connectors should be folded or played with caution in EP.

Hands to Avoid in Early Position:

Small Pairs: 22 through 66 – While these can hit a set and win big pots, the odds aren’t in your favor. If you miss, you’re often left with a weak hand that’s tough to play out of position.
Offsuit Broadways: KQo, JTo – These can be tempting, but they’re easily dominated by stronger hands. Playing them out of position can lead to losing big pots with top pair and a weak kicker.
Marginal Aces: A9o, A8o – These hands are notorious for getting players into trouble. In early position, they should almost always be folded.

Middle Position: Widening the Range

As you move into middle position, you can start to loosen up a bit. You still need to respect the players who have yet to act, but you can begin to incorporate a broader range of hands. Learning how to win at poker and beat small-stakes cash games often involves mastering middle-position play, where you can expand your range while still maintaining discipline.

Playable Hands in Middle Position:

Pocket Pairs: TT through 22 – Here’s where those small and medium pocket pairs can start to shine. The goal is often to hit a set and extract value from opponents who underestimate your hand.
Suited Broadways: KQs, QJs, JTs – These hands have great potential to make strong straights and flushes. Their playability increases as you move toward the button.
Suited Aces: ATs, A9s – These hands offer potential flush draws and can be used to semi-bluff if needed. However, still be cautious of their post-flop playability against stronger aces.

Hands to Avoid in Middle Position:

Offsuit Connectors: 89o, T9o – These hands might look pretty, but their value drops significantly when unsuited and out of position. They often lead to weak pairs or difficult post-flop decisions.
Suited Gappers: 97s, 86s – While they have some speculative value, they’re not strong enough to be played regularly from middle position.

Late Position: Time to Shine

Late position is where the magic happens. With more information at your disposal, you can play a much wider range of hands, taking advantage of your positional power. This is particularly important if you’re trying to beat small-stakes cash games, where many opponents might be playing too loose.

Playable Hands in Late Position:

Any Pocket Pair: AA through 22 – In late position, even the smallest pocket pairs can be gold mines. You can see how others act and decide whether to set mine or represent a bigger hand.
Suited Connectors and Gappers: 98s, 76s, T7s, J9s – These hands thrive in late position. They’re sneaky and can hit hidden straights and flushes that are difficult for your opponents to detect.
Suited Aces and Kings: Axs, Kxs – These can be played aggressively, especially against weaker opponents. They offer strong bluffing potential if the flop misses your opponent’s range.
Offsuit Broadways: KQo, QJo – In late position, these hands have enough potential to be played profitably, especially when you’re looking to steal blinds or put pressure on limpers.

Hands to Consider in Late Position:

Junk Hands: 72o, 83o – Yes, even these can be played in late position under the right circumstances. If everyone folds to you and the blinds are tight players, a raise with a garbage hand might just take it down. But remember, don’t get too crazy. The key is to mix up your play without going overboard. Go to this well too often and you will eventually get caught with your hand in the cookie jar.

Contrasting Hand Examples: Early vs. Late Position

To illustrate how position affects hand selection, let’s look at a few specific hands:

Hand 1: 9♠ 8♠

Early Position: Fold. In early position, this hand is too weak. While it’s suited and connected, the risk of running into stronger hands behind you is too high. Playing this out of position will often leave you in tough spots post-flop.
Late Position: Raise. In late position, especially on the button, this hand becomes much more playable. You can raise to steal the blinds or take control of the pot post-flop with position on your side.

Hand 2: A♣ Q♠

Early Position: Raise. AQ is a strong hand that plays well against most ranges. You can comfortably raise in early position, although you should be cautious if you face heavy resistance.
Late Position: Raise. This hand is solid in any position. However, in late position, you also be 3-betting this hand to isolate a weaker player or to put pressure on the blinds.

Hand 3: 7♦ 6♦

Early Position: Fold. Suited connectors are tempting, but in early position, they’re too speculative. You want to avoid bleeding chips with hands that require perfect conditions to profit.
Late Position: Raise/Call. In late position, this hand becomes a tool for deception. You can call, if there is already a raise to see a cheap flop or raise if there are only limpers in the pot already to apply pressure. If you hit a strong draw or a straight, it’s often unexpected and can lead to big pots.

Conclusion: The Power of Position

Position isn’t just another factor to consider in Texas Hold ‘Em; it’s the cornerstone of a winning strategy. Understanding how your position influences hand selection can dramatically improve your game. In early position, you’re forced to play conservatively, sticking to premium hands that can withstand action. As you move into middle and late positions, your range can expand, allowing for more creativity and aggression.

If you’re serious about learning how to win at poker and beat small-stakes cash games, mastering position is non-negotiable. The more you incorporate positional awareness into your strategy, the more you’ll find yourself in control of the table, dictating the action rather than reacting to it. So, the next time you’re dealt a hand, think twice about your position before making your move – it could be the difference between a winning session and a long walk to the parking lot.

Now test your skills with our basic (coming soon), intermediate (coming soon), or advanced (coming soon) quiz.