How to Steal a Poker Position

Everybody wants to be in button position. It's the best poker position to play in the game. What do we do if we are not in the button? Simple, we steal it.

Here's an example of how buttons are stolen. For instance, we're merely 2 seats before the button and there are 10 players at the table. It's a no-limit poker of $1/2. Suddenly, 2 bettors limp in while we hold suited J9 of clubs. For discussion purposes let's call the hand semi-connectors. These connectors can suddenly hit two pairs, flushes or straights and they suddenly become strong hands to reckon with.

Bear in mind that two players are positioned after us. Watch them because they're likely to call the blinds and act after the flop. The key is to prevent these 2 players from limping in. So what do we do? Simple. We apply some bet pressure to wiggle them out of the pot. We raise pre-flop with $15. It's nothing much but we just want to match it with our non-monster hand. It's designed to make the 2 limpers fold---they do, most times, but not always.

Some limpers get lucky enough to chance upon hitting a big hand. But there's greater chance they'd fold. If they do in this case, then we begin to act as if we're the button---in a sense we've "stolen" the best poker position. Now, let's say there the big blind who's fond of calling. When the flop comes it shows 10 heart, 8 diamond, and king spade.

No hope for completing a flush but there's an open-ended straight to be drawn. The improved position is further improved by the flop. Because we're in a sense almost the button, the big blind acts first. We get to see his act and over-power whatever the player wishes to do. The pre-flop raise came from us so big blind checks the flop to us. Now we can play aggressively. The hand is now under our control.

The big blind may hit a good hand and bet, but mostly it rarely happens. So, after the big blind checks we bet $30. This is a must-bet because we raised pre-flop, open-ender or no open-ender. The big blind mucks the bet and his hand and we win the pot. We leave the big blind and the rest wondering what hand we had.

Stealing a poker position needs good analysis, strategy, and a strong hand.