"> "> "> Understanding Early Position in Poker – A Definition by 888poker

What is Early Position in Poker?

Apr 5 2021

3 min. read

The phrase early position in the context of poker signifies the first two or three player spots at the table, where players must act first before the flop. poker table In 6-max games, the early position is limited to just the lojack seat (thus, only a single position is considered early).

In short handed The description of early position can encompass either the first two or the first three seats, which depends on whether the table has ten or nine players. If the game is reduced to eight players, only one early position remains available.

In full ring games Throughout this guide, we will explore the following topics -

What is the origin of the term early position in poker?

How does early position function in a 6-handed poker game?
What are the initial positions at a full-ring poker table?
What strategies should we employ against opens from early positions?
What is a good early position winrate?
Is it feasible to steal the blinds when in an early position?
What level of aggression should we apply when open-raising from early positions?
Why is it known as Early Position in Poker?

The designation early position arises from the fact that players occupying these seats must make their decisions before anyone else. These seats are located directly to the left of the blinds.

What constitutes Early Position in 6-Handed Poker? preflop In a 6-handed poker setting, the term early position is exclusively applied to the seat known as 'Under the Gun' (UTG), which is situated directly left of the big blind.

What are the Early Positions in Full Ring Poker?

In a full-ring poker game, the early positions are known as UTG , EP1 , and EP2 (sometimes referred to as UTG, UTG+1, and UTG+2). If the number of players at the table decreases, there might be fewer than three early positions. For instance, in an 8-handed table, there will only be one early position, referred to as 'under the gun'. This title remains constant regardless of the total players at the table. lojack Players typically do not anticipate achieving exceptionally high win rates from early positions; however, they do expect to maintain a positive win rate since folding is a neutral option. A good benchmark might range from 5 to 10 bb/100 hands when playing from early positions.

How Should We Approach Early Position Opens?

Opens from early positions tend to be quite strong and merit a fair degree of respect. While cold-calling or three-betting against these early raises is viable, we should utilize a stronger hand range than we would against players in later positions. under the gun Can We Successfully Steal Blinds from an Early Position?

What is a Good Early position Winrate?

The early positions are generally not regarded as favorable spots for attempting to steal the blinds. Although we may occasionally widen our opening range if weaker or overly cautious players follow, the overall strategy should still emphasize strength in this position. winrate How Aggressively Should We Open-Raise from Early Position?

At a 6-handed table, seasoned players typically open-raise with about 14% of their hands from an early position like the lojack. On a full-ring table, this percentage will tighten considerably. The average open-raising frequency in these positions tends to hover around 9%. Exceeding this range could lead to unprofitability, given the many players who will act after us preflop.

We need to maintain a very tight hand range when playing from early positions since numerous players remain to act after us preflop. When faced with raises from early positions, we must treat them with caution, as it is unlikely our opponents are raising with weak hands.