You have probably heard, or read, a lot about position in poker. Position refers to where you are sitting in relation to the dealer button (the best seat being on the button). A player must always consider their position to determine the strength of starting hands. The power of position can be summed up by the words of Doyle Brunson when he said that if he could be given the button every hand then he would beat any game every time.

Having position on one or more players allows you to see what they do first before making your own decision. This is very valuable information which is why you should choose stronger starting hands out of position to compensate. Being positioned between two players when in a hand can sometimes put you in a tricky position because if a bet comes before you then you have to factor in the possibility of a raise coming in behind you if you just flat call. Being out of position (the first to act is known as being 'under the gun') can have its uses especially when holding a big hand. You can now try a tactic called the 'check-raise'. You are hoping that someone in later position tries to pick up the pot allowing you to raise them and hopefully increase your profit. Beware though, because the other players are entitled to check also, giving them a free card to potentially outdraw you.

If you are playing in a full, ten handed game then you need to group your starting hands into three categories: early position, mid position and late position. In Texas hold'em, your early position selection should contain mostly premium cards. Hands such as 3-3, A-10, K-J are no good here. Mid position hands can be a bit less restricted with hands such as K-Q and small pairs, although these should be folded if a raise comes from early position. Late position hands can be looser still with hands such as 2-2 and A-x suited now playable.