importance of position
 

I posted this a little while ago in MSNL, here, and now I give it a try here at SSNL, might be some intresting differences.

Lets see if this can become something.

I know position is very important at all times for a lot of reasons, regardless of game conditions. Sometimes I just have a tendency to not give it the weight it should, and for example play a marginal hand OOP that I shoulda been folding.

So lets try this:

Name ONE reason its better to act in position in a 6-max MSNL game than OOP.

I start:

Its much more likely that I take down the pot if both players miss the flop in a HU pot.

Re: importance of position
 

It is easier to float a flop in position than OOP (duh). I can then act last on later streets and stealstealsteal.

Re: importance of position
 

River decisions with a good-not-great hand are MUCH easier if you have position.

Re: importance of position
 

More information to base decisions on.

Re: importance of position
 

easier to control the pot size

Re: importance of position
 

can check behind for free card for draws

Re: importance of position
 

if it's heads up, I can close the action

Re: importance of position
 

stealing the blinds

folding mediocre hands like AJ preflop

Re: importance of position
 

Lessens the opportunities to make FTOP mistakes.

Re: importance of position
 

[ QUOTE ]
easier to control the pot size

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm constantly saying this, but this is so important. Your ability to control the pot is what keeps money in front of you when you make strong second best hands, and what helps you inflate the pot with the best of it. The information you acquire by acting last can't possibly by overstated.

generally speaking, position is dramatically underrated at these stakes. A lot of players know it's important, basically because theyre told, and it's such a powerful concept that just having a vague idea of its importance can actually improve your game in a substantial way. You don't even need to REALLY get it, you just need to keep it in mind, and it helps.

The reasons why are what we're talking about, but the better you understand the power of a positional advantage, the better a play one becomes.

Re: importance of position
 

[ QUOTE ]
River decisions with a good-not-great hand are MUCH easier if you have position.

[/ QUOTE ]
this is the Big One right here

Re: importance of position
 

One no-one's mentioned; you will much more often see 5 cards when behind on the flop.

Re: importance of position
 

it's easier to isolate a bad player when you have position on him

Re: importance of position
 

[ QUOTE ]
One no-one's mentioned; you will much more often see 5 cards when behind on the flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is huge, as well.

Re: importance of position
 

Its where you are able to create your image so you can get paid off with big hands.

Re: importance of position
 

In the HSNL version of this forum, a few people said something like:

"It is easier to threaten all of your opponents chips with out actually committing your own."

I think this is a big part of the importance of position. To say it a different way: your opponents suffer from reverse implied odds, while you do not. Say your opponent has KQ on a K-high flop. He bets out, you raise. Regardless of whether the flop is wet or dry or whatever, he's instantly in a horribly tough position. If he's got the best hand, all he's likely to win is the bet and raise you just made. OTOH, if he's got a worse hand, he's going to have to put in much more money to get to showdown or find out for sure he's beat.

Re: importance of position
 

Bump

Re: importance of position
 

Able to play draws easier when in position, as you can usually dictate the action (whether or not to raise flop/bet turns/etc).