Have you ever wondered why so many articles have been written on the importance of position in poker? Simply put, it’s because it is the single most important concept in no-limit hold’em and one which, when successfully grasped, is the most profitable weapon you can have in your arsenal.
In a Sit & Go context, the importance of position is greater still. Being on the button provides you with key information about the hands you might be up against, from which you can formulate the best plan of attack (or indeed, decide to fold).
Take the example of the dreaded A-K. While the hand is powerful no matter where you are at the table, the hand becomes so much easier to play in a Sit & Go environment if you have the button by your side. Let’s elaborate.
With a traditional starting stack of 1,500 chips, you’ve enjoyed a relatively quiet first level, treading water and posting blinds to find your stack now at 1,470 with the blinds at 15/30. You then get your first ‘real’ hand, Ac-Kc, and make a standard raise to 90. Everyone folds around to the button who calls.
Out of position problems
The flop comes Qc-6d-Td, giving you two overcards and a backdoor flush draw. You make a continuation bet of 150 and the button raises to 550. You’ve managed to find yourself in a quandary. Does he have a draw? Did he just flop a marginal one-pair kind of hand or even just air? You’re left with a headache and a chipstack that has just been reduced by over 10%. The key to winning poker is being able to keep your decisions as simple as possible, so this is not good. On the flipside, it’s easy enough to see how this example works in reverse – just make sure you’re the one on the button next time.
Another key point to remember is that the button presents you with the last and best spot from which to attack the blinds. With so many players playing too wide a range from the blinds, you can punish them with some well-timed aggression using all the extra information you have by being last to act.
Love the button and poker will love you. Ignore it and you will end up with a Sit & Go hangover you could easily have avoided.
Read Part II