Basic Position Question?

[Refrusloi]

Whats the advantage/importance of seating positions/ dealer / "on the button" ?

[Rorona]

you're last to act so you have more information. So as a consequence:
-it's much easier to extract value from your good hands.
-you can escape from your 2nd best hands more easily
-you can use pot control.
-you have more bluffing opportunities.
Having position is key to outplay your opponents. With those advantages you can play a lot more hands in the button and playing hands in the button = profit.

[SmartBugger]

Here is a few example of when position helps.

1) You have a staight or flush draw... you bet out last. This gives you a chance to win the pot here and then OR conceal your hand so your opponent is putting you on a pair and not the draw. If you hit.... this could make you a lot more money.

2) If someone bet outs in front of you, and you have a draw. You can re-raise and scare the better. Basically, he is more likely to check the turn.... giving you a cheap way to see 2 more cards.

3) It is much more difficult for most players to continue a bluff out of position. Being in position allows you to detect weakness. It also allows you to detect strength when a "nit" seems unconcern about what you may have.

4) It gets check around..... you get to decide if you want to see a free card or make others pay to see it.

[dedenburn]

aside from the tactical advantages listed above, positional advantage is basically that:
-You get to see what others do before you have to act
-They have to act before seeing what you will do

Essentially, position affords you the greatest amount of information while limiting that offered to your opponents.