Button Position Strategy in Texas Hold 'Em
Poker
Texas Hold 'Em is a game of betting. Of all
the poker games and variants played in the world, Hold 'Em
has become more popular in recent days than any other type
has in history. The main reason for this is the betting
strategy involved. There is very little more thrilling than
bluffing, check-raising, and going all-in. There is no more
satisfying way to win than taking the money without having
the cards.
There is also a downside to the emphasis on betting strategy.
A large part of the depth of the game comes in the complexity
of the betting systems. The most important thing to remember
in Texas Hold 'Em is the position of the dealer (also called
the "button position" because the dealer
usually signifies his position with a round button near his chips.) In a classic Texas Hold 'Em game, the button
moves to the left every hand, and the blinds are directly
to the left of the dealer.
How do these positions relate to the button position betting
strategy? Most fundamentally, the dealer button and
the blinds are good strategic positions. The reason for
this is simple: the closer you are to the button, the more
people are forced to act before you. The more people act
before you, the better you can evaluate your hand strength.
For example, if I hold a jack and a nine off suit, I would
normally not even think of participating in the hand. However,
if I have the dealer button in hand and every player before
me folds I would consider either playing the hand or simply
raising the bet to buy the blinds. The blind positions are
also advantageous for the same reason. It would at first
seem that they are in an even better position than the dealer,
but that is not entirely accurate.
The dealer is not forced to pay any bet that he does not
wish to pay. The blinds, however, are obligated to be in
for at least part of the pot. This would at first not seem
to be a large draw back, but it should be noted that most
hands are not playworthy in Texas Hold ‘Em, and this
means that the blinds usually will not get any return for
their blinds. The main advantage in the blinds is that the
big blind usually gets a chance to check through to the
flop.
The other positions on the table are usually easy to estimate.
A general rule (not always true, but often enough for the
amateur player) is that the positions closer to the dealer
on the right side are better, and the position to the left
of the big blind is the worst position. Poker is a game
of odds and information.
Being in the better positions gives one access to more information
which in turn makes for better determination of the odds.
Another factor to take into account is the play style of
the players around you. If you observe that the only players
who are in when the action comes to you are the looser players,
and there are few players after you, a higher bet is justified.
Consequently, if all the tight-fisted players have already
tossed in their chips, it may be better to sit this one
out.
Try the poker strategy in one of our recommended poker rooms like William
Hill Poker.
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