Poker positions

Early Position

The first three seats after the deal are considered to be in early position. The small blind and big blind are included in the group. The person sitting to the left is referred to as being "Under the Gun". Being in early position has a major disadvantage during the betting rounds therefore only very strong starting hands should be played.

For example, lets say you are Under the Gun with J 10 off suit and you call the blind. The next player bets and everyone folds. There is a good chance that the bettor has a better hand than you so there is no choice but to fold. By calling the blind you have wasted 1 bet.

Middle Position

The next 4 seats are considered to be in middle position. These players are still at a disadvantage but near as much as those in early position. You can play a few more starting hands here but still have to careful not to overplay a weak hand here.

Late Position

The last 3 seats are considered to be in late position. These players have an advantage over the rest of the table. Even more starting hands can be played in this position. You will have the opportunity to see how the other players bet before you act. If there is a lot of action and you have a weak hand you can fold with confidence. You may even have the chance to steal the blinds with strong play in late position.