Grabbing information is one of the most important skills that you need in poker. From your opponent’s betting patterns and the “tells” that they make simply define your hand and are simply integral on your next decision. But you can’t do that without proper positioning, which is on the button or somewhere near it.

But that doesn’t mean that you should fold every hand if you’re not in the proper position, each has its pros and cons, and it should also determine how you should play your hand.

In this article, I’ll tell you how to utilize perfectly your position in pre-flop play.

Early Position

This position is from under the gun to the third turn in a ring table, which has around eight people seated. In this seat, you have to be choosy in raising your hand or simply limping into the pot because there are about five to seven people yet to act, thus there are more chances for them to raise the bets and given that you don’t have a hand that’s good enough, you just lost money the size of the blind.

No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em is a game that moves by the rules of psychology. Players try to read their opponents if it is the right moment to bluff or to fold. They also seem to know their opponents hands by their betting patterns. And if they trail in the chip count, they try to make the opponent fear them into folding good hands so they can catch up.

The main rule in winning consistently in poker is to give an impression that you’re the top dog. You must drill the notion that no one will scare you into folding and stop you from hammering into that pot. But one shouldn’t do that haphazardly. One should get a feel of the table, knowing how others play specific cards so that one will know if it is the perfect time to stomp your foot down and scoop the chips on the table.

Time and time again, I’ve seen too many players misplay their cards in situations that call for it. And they pay for it; they lose their chip strength or in the worst case, get kicked out of the tournament. Chip management is the single most important skill one must learn in poker. Bluffing pales in comparison to this important skill, and now, I’ll teach you how to manage it well.

Conservative at the Start

Early in the tournament, when the blinds are low and with a good number of weak poker players around, it is important that you stay tight rather than jeopardizing your tournament dream. The antes are low, so there is no rush to be the chip leader. Relax and take it slow, only playing the best-looking hands. Don’t be a rock though, because no one will call your bets when you finally have a hand. In a nutshell, mix up your play but be conservative around 80% of the time.