Does It Matter Where You Sit?

This article is written by The Hendon Mob and originally appeared on www.thehendonmob.com

Many players like to sit next to their friends so that they can chat. Some like to sit next to the dealer or maybe in the middle of the table so that they 'can see the flop better'. Some even have a 'lucky' seat. But does it really matter?

Yes it does!

Take, for example, an aggressive player who raises a lot or a player who has a very big stack of chips. Some players would like to sit to their right so that if they find a big hand, maybe even Aces, once the aggressive player raises there will be more money from the calls around the table enabling you to raise a larger amount when the action gets back to you. You are then more likely to restrict the field getting 'the best of it' from the maniac player. There is some weight to this argument but is it the best way?

Expert poker player/writer, Mike Caro, America's Mad Genius of cards, advocates that money moves clockwise around the table. Read that again, it says 'money' not action. We all know that the action moves clockwise.

If every time you call a bet with a marginal hand, where you want to see a flop, who acts next? The scary, aggressive maniac on your left. You may be left with the decision of passing your hand and leaving dead money in the pot or paying more to see a flop than your hand is worth.

The aggressive maniac is obviously very active in the game. Wouldn't you like to know when he's going to raise and to be able to choose when you compete with him?

Of course you would. So sit on his left! It then becomes your choice when you want to play and you will have a better idea how much it's going to cost you to play. Then, when you enter the pot with a premium hand, the odds will be in your favour. Isn't that what you want?

There's also the fact that if the maniac is playing a big stack of money (which they often do to try and intimidate their opponents), and if Mike Caro is right with his theory, then all those chips should go clockwise around the table to you!

www.thehendonmob.com is the home of the original and industry leading poker player tournament results database. It also houses an archive of articles containing poker tips and strategy written by many well known professional players, a very lively poker forum, and, for those just starting out, the best beginners poker guide on the ‘net.

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