In poker, if you know how to make the best out of your position, you will be able to make a more accurate assessment of the value of your hand and your opponents'. There are three different positions in poker; the early position, the middle position and the late position.

Marginal hands should be avoided by early positions' players, (shortned to EP), and should restrict themselves to only strong to very strong hands. Middle position players (MP) on the other hand should assess the way the early players have acted. MPs can raise with a marginal to strong hand if the early players haven't raised the stakes already.

Clearly, those in late position, or LP, can learn the most about their opponents and play uncompromisingly. They can bet with variety of starting hands, even if they wish to start with weaker hands, if their opponents have not yet shown strength. The LPs can reduce the risk by deciding to call a bet since they know it is likely that there will be no more raises behind them.

In a full game of Holdem Poker, early position is the first three players to act. The first player to act after the blinds is labelled as "Under the Gun" (known online as UTG). This is strategically the worst position to be in as the under the gun player has no information regarding the strength of their opponent's hands and will have to act before the MPs and LPs throughout all the betting rounds of the hand.

MP or middle position players usually starts with the fourth player, they have few advantages and disadvantages in their position in the game. MPs are at risk of "squeeze" plays, whereby they are forced to act, usually to make a bet by the early position players, even when they know they will get raised. However, as an MP, you have the advantage over the EPs as you can make a strong assessment of their cards. If you have a strong hand, go all out and play uncompromisingly. But if your hand is marginal, do be aware that the last position players may often take a stand.

LP players have the strongest position at the table because they are the last to make any action for each betting round in the hand. They have more profitable opportunities to make a strategic play, a steal or bluff, to win the pot if none of the opponents have made any moves. The last player to act is commonly reffered to as the 'button' or the 'dealer' and the 'Cut-off' is a nickname given to the player in the second to last position, referring to the increased chance that a raise will earn that player the right to act last throughout the hand as the button will more likely fold.

Late position players can use the semi-bluff with much more succes, which involves raising an EP or MP player who made a bet. However to make the move, you need to have a pretty strong hand such as straight or a flush draw. You can try to raise just to frighten your opponents, hoping they will fold but if you take this approach you are better off having a least a few outs to get lucky. It could also be that an raise on an early round will get some free cards or cheaper future betting rounds.

Be aware of your position at all times. There is no use of perfected strategy if you neglect that. Hold on to this rule: play strong hands in early positions and the later your position, the better for you to play with marginal hands like small pairs and suited connectors.

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