Using Table Position to Win Pots in Fixed Limit Texas Holdem Games

Texas Holdem, Fixed Limit Poker
June 21 2008

Position is important in Limit Holdem – not as much as in No Limit or Pot Limit, but it’s still an important aspect to consider as you play. In Limit Holdem, players are more likely to play with weaker hands than they would in a No Limit game. This means that opponents will often miss the flop, or hit a small piece of it.

You can loosen up a bit in your hand selection while in late positions. Your opponents’ hands will rarely be good enough for them to call a bet with, and you can take advantage of your favorable positions to win pots. If you hit part of a flop, and no one shows aggression, you will most likely be in the lead and can safely bet.

The pots are usually small, but if you win enough of them they will quickly add up. If you’re playing on the button, or one off the button, it’s a high-percentage move to make it two bets if everyone has folded to you. You’re looking to steal the blinds with this raise, hoping that the remaining blind players will not have a good hand and will fold. The same rule applies for flops that no one has bet at yet.

You can also use your position to steal blinds from “under the gun.” If you have presented a tight image over a session, you can steal the odd set of blinds by raising it from first position. You can’t do it very often; the key is to only do it every third round or more. Unless there is a premium hand out there, most solid players will fold because they recognize that you wouldn’t raise from such a poor position without a big hand.

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