Playing out of position is the most common mistake I see. I probably make more money from chronic out-of-position players than anyone else. Here’s an example of the problem. Our hero limps in.
Move $2 forward with A♣ 5♣. Another player limps, while a strong player raises to $10. Everyone answers our hero’s call. It may seem routine, but it is not. Limping in early with a weak ace and then calling a raise will get you in hot water soon. Why is being out of position so bad?
The Problem
Being out of position creates pain in all areas of the hand. It makes it more difficult to read your opponents’ cards, skillfully bluff, and profit from good hands while avoiding bad ones. Essentially, it places you at a tremendous disadvantage.
To make money in poker, you must have more advantages than drawbacks. If you start out of position (a substantial deficit), you will want significant advantages to compensate. Being God’s gift to poker isn’t enough. You also need a good hand.
The Good
When you’re out of position, you usually need a particularly powerful hand to play. This is especially true if your opponents in the same position are aggressive and routinely raise after you join.
Pocket pairs perform well out of position because they are binary hands that either flop a set or do not. If you flop a set, you plan to go all-in. If you don’t, you’ll probably fold regardless of your position. So it’s fine to play partners out of position.
The truly large cards—ace-king and sometimes ace-queen—perform admirably out of position. Again, they’re sort of binary. They either flop a strong hand or miss.
The Bad
Suited connectors and suited aces suffer considerably when they are not in place. These hands generally produce flop draws or weak pairs. That means you frequently have to play all five cards to determine whether you have something great or not. Every betting round in which you remain in the draw gives your opponents the opportunity to take advantage of their position.
The Ugly
Being reared by someone who has authority over you is uncomfortable. Often, if you have a borderline hand and someone raises behind you, fold. Getting high is a triple whammy.
- It boosts the pot, boosting the stakes and pressing you to act sooner in order to stay in.
- It gives your opponent an advantage, making it more difficult for you to execute a credible flop bluff (among other things).
- It forces you to bet more money.
Some Examples
In each scenario, you play $1-$2 with $200 stacks in a nine-person live game.
Example 1
You’re four off the button in your local $1-$2 game. Your opponents are typical, although little more aggressive than usual. Everyone submits to you. You have A♦6♦. Fold! Avoid playing this hand in front of a hostile crowd.
If you limp in and someone raises a hand behind you, you’re in bad shape. Even if you only need to play the hand once, you’re not in good shape. Your suited ace isn’t skilled enough to play out of position.
Example 2
You have a tight deadline with 6♥ 6♠. You can play this hand. Pocket pairs are excellent hands and play well out of position. Depending on the circumstances, both a tiny rise and limping may be acceptable.
Example 3
You have 9♥ 8♥ in the large blind. An aggressive player opens for $8 from the middle position, and everyone folds to you. Fold! You are out of position when confronted with an aggressive raiser. Suited connectors are not designed for these scenarios. It doesn’t matter whether you already have $2; the situation isn’t favorable.
Example 4
You open for $7 using A♥ J♠ from four off the button. A fairly excellent player hits one off the button, making it $25 to go. Everyone submits to you. Fold! You’re out of position with what is now a marginal hand, and the stakes are already high.
The Bottom Line
Playing no-limit poker fairly does not result in profit. You succeed by insisting on playing with an advantage. One strategy to get an advantage is to play just favorable hands. Another option is to play only when you have position (or an excellent hand). Refuse to play mediocre hands out of position, and your outcomes will gradually improve.
