The value of position part 2: Post-Flop

There is so much written about position in poker and how you should always try to have position on your opponents, but very few people have broken down the actual value of position, and explained it to poker laypeople. In this two-part series I will attempt to explain the importance of position both pre-flop and post-flop.

In part 1 of this series I talked about the value of position pre-flop, and discussed the two advantages gained: Less opponents and more information. In Part 2 I will look at the advantages having position gives you post-flop.

Advantage #1 — Maximize wins and Minimize losses

Post-flop position allows you to maximize your wins and minimize your losses, since you will control the size of the pot. You get to decide if you want to check behind to get a free-card or avoid a check-raise; if you want to bet small; or if you want to jam the pot.

Here is an example: Suppose you raise from the cutoff with TT and get called by a middle position limper. On a flop of A74 your opponent checks to you and you make a small c-bet of 2/3 of the pot. The turn is another 4, and your opponent once again checks to you. Now if your opponent is super-straight-forward you can probably safely value-bet your Tens, and if he is tricky you can check behind and avoid a difficult decision if he check-raises, or even if he calls and then makes a sizable bet on the river. If you reverse the positions you can see how difficult this hand becomes to play: You will usually miss value when you are best, and the hand will likely cost you more money when you are beaten or bluffed out of the pot.

Advantage #2 - You can use all the plays in your arsenal

Position also allows you to use plays like free-cards, float, use semi-bluffs, and so on. These are options you don’t have when you are out of position -or they are severely limited. For instance, you can’t really call a continuation bet with air out of position because you don’t know if your opponent will check the turn until he does! In position if you float on the flop, your opponent then will either bet again or check to you.

Advantage #3 — More information

With position once again comes more information. Suppose three players limped in and you checked the big blind with 78. On a flop of 56K, what do you do if you lead out and get raised all-in? What do you do if you lead-out, and there is a raise and a re-raise? Or, what if it is checked around and the last player to act bets; is it safe to call with two players to act behind you? The answer is you don’t know! Now if you are on the button in this same situation you can see what each player does before you make your decision.