Online Poker Forum - Position Question

AceHigh1980 · Straight Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Posts: 124

I was playing the 900 person Free Roll tonight, and someone went all in with Ace, 8, and called by someone with a K, 6. THe player who went all in w/ the ACe, 8 lost to the K,6 and then criticized him for calling an all-in with a K,6. I asked him why he would go all in with an Ace, 8 in the first place. He told me he was in good position to make this move. What does this mean? Sorry i do not have hand history, but he was either in the SB or dealer, and about 3 or 4 people had limped infront of him. He said his all in move was ok because his position was favorable. Explanations?

BOYNAMEDSUE · Moderator Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 9537 Location: Mypos

Basically, position refers to how likely you are to have the best hand based on where you are sitting at the table.

For example, you're dealt AT on the button. If it has been folded around to you, and with only 2 players to act after you, you probably have the best hand, and can comfortably go ahead and raise to steal the blinds.

Under the gun, with 8 people left to act, AT is not nearly as powerful. There are too many people left to act. The likelihood a stronger hand will raise you increases.

Dan Harrington (my mentor for tournament play) describes poker as a game of information. The more info you have the better. Under the gun, you have no info, 'cause you're first to act. So it's best to fold, unless you have a strong hand.

With A8, and with people already in the pot, I'd fold, but seeing a cheap flop isn't bad either, especially if the A8 was suited. But going all-in is dumb, unless the person was short stacked.

And the call with K6, I'm not even going to comment.

I've only played a few freerolls, but it seems like people have the attitude, "I'm doubling up early, or I'm not playing at all". And all-in they go, with any A or K.

Play tight early, look to double or triple up with good hands, and by about the halfway point, when the riff raffs are gone, play gets better, and more fun. At least, that's what I've found.

UrbanMeyer1 · Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2005 8:30 pm Post subject:

That's a good post on the position, but this is blind oriented and stack oriented. We need those numbers to be able to analyze it better.

GripHoldOn · Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2005 10:13 pm Post subject:

When you make an all-in move after the blinds get big and a lot of players have limped, you are in a pretty good POSITION to steal what has become a pretty big pot. No one has shown any strength, and with only one or two players who haven't acted, the player who moves all-in as a pretty solid chance of picking up the pot uncontested. Table position however, has little effect on the hand once two players are all-in. It's not as if the player on the button has a better chance of winning in a showdown.

AceHigh1980 · Straight Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Posts: 124

so basically when you have relativley average hands when acting from the button, say K, J or A, 7 s you can raise and try to steal blinds, where in earlier positions you would normally fold these hands?

BOYNAMEDSUE · Moderator Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 9537 Location: Mypos

The hand in question is so ridiculous I'm guessing it happened in the first hour, where the blinds, and stacks are relatively low.

Besides, he only asked a general question about position.

BOYNAMEDSUE · Moderator Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 9537 Location: Mypos

Yes, Ace High...

If you're on the button, and it is folded to you, go ahead and steal with any reasonable hand. The key being 'if it is folded to you'. Once someone has entered the pot, your raises will have to be much larger to drive them out, and will get you into lots of trouble.

Some people feel you can try to steal with almost any 2 cards, because of your good position. I like to have some kind of hand, so if I'm called, I can still win. I wouldn't attempt to steal with 27o, 94o, Q3o, but I would with J8, Q9, 9T, or A7. I most often fold these hands, but they're good enough to try and steal the blinds.

Again, I think going all-in with A8 to steal the blinds is dumb. You're sacrificing a lot of chips to win a few chips, and in freerolls you're gonna get called. I'd stick to winning chips with good hands.

GripHoldOn · Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2005 10:55 pm Post subject:

It's ok to sometimes steal with these hands, but don't think that you should try to steal every time it's folded to you on the button and you pick up a decent holding. It will be too obvious and players will re-raise. While it's true that they will pay you off for all of your money if you DO pick up a hand, you won't have a hand often enough to compensate for your losses.

BOYNAMEDSUE · Moderator Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 9537 Location: Mypos

Agreed. You should never do something the same way everytime in poker, but everyone folding around to the button happens so infrequently online, I doubt people will catch on.

Then again, freerollers are much more likely to call steal attempts, so maybe stealing isn't a good idea.

AceHigh1980 · Straight Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Posts: 124

LOL,
well it wasn't me that went all in with the Ace, 8 it was just someone who was at my table, he said he was in a good position and i didn't understand what he meant, thanks to you guys i understand now, and your right people will call your stealing attempts in the free rolls, just like he was called with the K, 6

Online Poker Forum at Full Tilt Poker