the worst thing you can do on the button (or in LP or any position for that matter) is become predictable. Selective aggression pays off. So just mix bets with checks when you're in LP. On semi decent tables, auto betting the flop if it's checked to you will pay off... On good tables I think people with position will mix it up more.


Cheers,

Mike

PS. I loooooovvveee having position.

There are many times when the cards can go out the window and it's ALL about position, people, and your position relative to those people. Knowing to play your position correctly can't really be learned from a book. You have to just evealute the table and see what will be your best way to win pots at this table in what position.

In late position, how you play really depends on the people in the pot and the players in the blinds. A couple of good questions to ask yourself are:

1.)Can I win this pot here?
2.)Will I get action if I catch the flush/straight that I want?
3.)If I pick up a draw, can I win the pot with a bet on the flop?

With large hands, people will not always give you action putting you on a bluff. Remember that just because YOU play with the acknowledgement of position doesn't mean that your opponents do. Even if they're chatting a lot and sound like they're well-read, it doesn't mean that they possess the discipline to drop AQs (or any AXs, KJ, AJ, medium/low pair) in EP and fold to your raise.

I like to evaluate players and use the notes that I am allowed to take. Simple notes like:

-beat him up/can be bluffed by underbetting/overbetting pot
-cannot be bluffed/calling station/he'll pay you off
-active maniac (bets a lot, but bets small and can drop a hand to a raise)
-big betting maniac
-get out of his way (tight preflop raisers or tight bettors in general)

Whatever works for you will work. Just stick to your guns with people while keeping an open mind. AK UTG is Ace high on the button, too. The people, what they've done, what they'll do, and what they're doing with assess values with position, but position alone isn't always they key.

If you've got 60% + entry into the flop on the table, people are calling raises and not re-reraising, there is little or no preflop raising (other than you) and the only preflop raising you do get from the others is on AK, AA,KK. Furthemore if the table doen's tighten as you start to fold -then postion doesn't matter, If you find a table like this then most of the ppl on it are probably playing Blackjack so you'll win anyway.. (assuming it isn't a blackjack table)

Originally Posted by xxdemexx

If you've got 60% + entry into the flop on the table, people are calling raises and not re-reraising, there is little or no preflop raising (other than you) and the only preflop raising you do get from the others is on AK, AA,KK. Furthemore if the table doen's tighten as you start to fold -then postion doesn't matter, If you find a table like this then most of the ppl on it are probably playing Blackjack so you'll win anyway.. (assuming it isn't a blackjack table)

I see where you're coming from but couldn't disagree with you more. Hold'em is not a 2 card game. Anytime you are acting later than everyone else, you have an advantage because you've gained more information to assess your decision.

Alex plays a lot at much higher limits where position is very important.. On the limit I just left (0.01/0.02 - yeah I know it's small) I found this:

On tables like I described I found out early on that I was making most money (by position) entering on the BB with virtually random cards. As opposed to the selected cards in later postions. I played around with this a bit and came up with this:

1] Agression after the flop with good hands made up for the price to enter the pot
2] First to bet gets to set the pot odds on a passive table - this is a major advantage
3] AA and KK win a lot at these tables- if you go all in UTG with AA you'll get pocket pairs and AK,AQ following you even without a prior call. AA and KK aren't fussy about position.
4] At this level- and it must be said that these guys are really not very good - slow play/underbetting is everywhere. It doesn't matter if you have AQ, the guy in middle with AK WHO SHOULD HAVE RAISED!!! didn't because he thought it was clever/he was reaching for a Budweiser etc. On these tables you have to bet hard to find out what ppl have - because they won't do it. A reraise preflop usually only means two hands..
2] ppl will hold on to pp to the river despite the fact that you have top pair on the flop.

By refining the strategy I got more or less even returns on all positions - and this was optimum. These are very poor players.. Any information that you can get from playing late is usually negated by the fact they don't know what they're doing.

The thing with these 60%+ tables is that they do tend to tighten - one or two big pots and a couple of guys go and it moves to 50% ish. You also only need someone agressive on volume to arrive and the game closes like a clam. Moreover as soon as ppl realise that you're folding regulary they get very cautious about going up against you. I played around with ways of loosening such a table- but it always cost too much. What did work was someone very aggressive on volume coming in and losing his stack in a couple of hands.. so its somtimes worth hanging around if a table bully makes an appearance.

I must point out that Alex is spot on on his approach to high limit poker.. what I've gone through here is applicable to drunks and ppl just there to have fun with a few cents...

I'll admit that I play slightly buzzed and a bit wired. OK. I'm usually drunk and wired by the end of my little session, but I know when I'm done.

I love having the BB, seeing the flop for free, and then being able to take a pot because I'm first to act into a weak board, even if I completely miss