Tip #2: Why Position Is So Important in SNGs

One of the critical factors in winning in any poker game is whether you act after your opponents. Many sit and go players ignore the value of position by failing to adjust their starting hands or bet sizing correctly. This sit and go tip will explain why position is so important in SNG tournaments and show you how to take advantage of position to improve your return on investment.

When thinking about position the key factors are these: Acting last can help you to win more chips when you are ahead, and acting last can also help you lose less chips when behind in the hand. Examples of both situations will be shown below, firstly we will look at why position at the table affects the range of hands you can play.

If you are first to act at a 9 or 10 handed table then there are a lot of ‘unknowns’ ahead of you. Some opponents may have strong hands, others may be aggressive with their medium strength hands and still others may be prone to call too often with speculative hands. This means that if you have a medium strength hand yourself you can not be sure that your bet will allow you to see a flop, and if you do see one then you may well be unsure of whether you have the best hand.

Contrast this with holding the dealer button, safe in the knowledge that you will act last on every betting round after the flop. You have now seen most of your opponents act – most of them folding – and only have the blinds (who will be out of position after the flop) as ‘unknowns’. You can be more comfortable playing a wide range of hands when these factors are in your favor.

Let us look at an example of the same hand from early and late position. Say you have a pair of 8’s and raise before the flop, getting 2 callers. From early position you are first to act after the flop – which will usually come with at least 1 card higher than your pair. If you check then your opponents are likely to assume this means weakness and bet – in which case you have no idea whether you are ahead or behind. If you bet and get flat called or raised by an opponent then you are equally in the dark.

Compare this same situation with acting last, now you get to see your opponents act before you make a decision. For example if the flop comes with an ace and one opponent bets and is raised by the second player then you can safely fold, safe in the knowledge you are beaten and not losing any further chips. If they both check then you can take a stab at the pot, at least if you are called your remaining opponent is likely to check to you on the turn, giving you a free river card.

Finally, we can look at this same situation when you flop a monster – in this case trip 8’s. When first to act you have a problem, raising into two opponents shows a lot of strength and may cause them to fold. Checking, when your opponents missed the flop may see them checking behind – failing to get any more chips into the pot. Contrast this with acting last, your bet is almost ‘expected’ when checked to and so more likely to be called. If your opponents bet you can either raise or flat call depending on their tendencies and the texture of the flop, a great way to build the pot and win your opponent’s entire stack.

To summarize, position affects your starting hand selection before the flop. You play less hands in early position because of the ‘unknowns’ of how your opponents will act ahead of you. After the flop, having position on your opponents will allow you to win more when ahead and lose less when behind – and that is how poker fortunes are made!