Early position refers to the seats near the left of the big blind, requiring players to act first with minimal information. A tight, conservative strategy is recommended.
Strategy for Early Position
Early position (EP) requires a tight and conservative approach due to the positional disadvantage. Players in EP, such as Under the Gun (UTG), are among the first to act, which gives their opponents more information and puts them at risk of facing raises from stronger hands. Therefore, playing from EP demands a much stricter hand selection than from later positions.
- Raise strong hands: Hands like A A , K K , and A K are the core hands you should consider playing.
- Fold speculative hands: Avoid hands like small suited connectors or marginal hands, such as 7 6 .
- Expect to face raises: Be ready for re-raises from opponents in later positions who have more information, especially in multi-way pots.
Hand Selection in Early Position
Because so many players are left to act after you, your hand range should be much narrower than in middle or late positions. In EP, only strong hands are profitable in the long run; such as:
- Pocket pairs: A A , down to 6 6
- Strong suited Broadways: A K , K Q , and a few more.
- AK offsuit: A K , one of the few non-paired offsuit hands that is often played from EP.
The Risks of Early Position
One of the biggest challenges of playing from early position is that you will frequently face multi-way pots, which can put even strong hands like K K in difficult spots post-flop. For instance, if the flop brings an overcard like A , you’re now at a disadvantage against any player holding an Ace.
Additionally, players in later positions have more control over the action. They may choose to flat-call your raise or even 3-bet to put you in a tough spot, knowing you have already committed chips but are acting without much information. Therefore, early position players should always be prepared for post-flop play under pressure.
Final Thoughts
Playing from early position demands a tight, disciplined strategy. Only strong hands should be raised, and players need to be cautious about facing multiple opponents or aggressive raises from later positions. Stick to premium hands and avoid getting involved with marginal ones to avoid unnecessary risks.
