When you begin to play, be it online or in land based casinos, it is important that you learn how crucial your Poker position is. A majority of players think that the placing does not matter, and that it is all about the cards. They cannot be more wrong, as playing the position right can mean more money.
As a new player, you must understand that your Poker position will change the way that you play the hand. All too often, players approach the game the same way all the time, without taking into consideration their position with regards to the button. That is the reason why they end up losing their stacks very quickly.
What you need to understand is that when you are in the early position, you need to be tighter with the kind of Poker hands that you will play. The reason being that you simply have no inkling as to what kind of hands your opponents have.
As an example, suppose you get a middle pair like a 66 and you are the first to act. Do you bet or raise with that hand? It is not a strong hand. Most will fold that, but suppose that you go on and the flop comes out with a 6-J-9.
You have the set, and might be tempted to raise. But if you first decide to bet, and one of them calls, chances are good that he may have a 999 or a JJJ.
However, this dilemma will not arise if you are in the late Poker position. You will be able to judge by the way the player on the table acted whether you can play such a hand or not.
The point is that being in the early position means that you will want to play as tightly as possible, to avoid complications. By contrast being on the button allows to play with more hands.
This point illustrates why it is important that you play uniquely when in the different positions of the game. The fact that a lot of online players ignore this fact will become obvious as you play, and this is something that you can also take advantage of.
Of course, there are other elements in Poker that you will have to consider as you play, but keeping to the basics of good Poker position play will serve you well and win you a lot of money.