Positions, semibluffing, abbreviations

[LondonBroil]

I've been playing informal poker (dealer's choice, 7-card, omaha, hold em, chicago) at a local pool hall for over 4 years now and have doing very well against very poor, aggressive players. I've just recently started playing online and have heard a lot of new terminology.

Could someone give me a rundown of the names of all the positions? I'm aware of SB and BB, I believe UTG is the first player after the BB and the Cutoff and button which I'm assuming are the player before the dealer and the dealer respectively. Are there any more?

Also, I've heard posts that say EP, MP, and LP. Are those just abbreviations for Early/Mid/Late position?

If anyone has any other abbreviations that they know of, or if you could tell me if I'm correct in my assumptions, would you mind teaching a 4-year old "noobish" card player? /forums/images/icons/blush.gif

Also, I've heard of bluffing, but WHAT is semibluffing and antibluffing?

[pufferfish]

early position (EP)

(n phrase) In a poker game, the first few positions to the left of the dealer, or to the left of the obligatory blinds. Compare with late position. Some claim early position, in an eight-handed poker game, is the first three positions.


middle position (MP)

(n phrase) In a poker game, somewhere between early position and late position, generally considered to be those players who would, on the first round of betting, act fourth, fifth, or sixth.


late position (LP)

(n phrase) In a poker game, positions to the right of the dealer, that is, those that make their decisions after the first few players have acted. Late position is advantageous, because players get to see what the other players have done before they have to act, that is, they have more information than those who act before they do. Some claim late position, in an eight-handed poker game, is the last three positions. Compare with early position. Sometimes called back seat.


semibluff

(n) A bet made on a hand that is probably not the best at the time of the bet, but that has a possibility of improving to the best (has one or more outs). If the bet gets everyone else to fold, it succeeds as a bluff; if it does not, the hand might still improve (in draw) on the draw or (in stud and hold 'em) on succeeding cards. This term was first popularized in the writings of noted poker author and theorist David Sklansky. Compare with complete bluff.

Source: web page (http://www.planetpoker.com/dictionary/)

Don't know what antibluffing is.

[pufferfish]

Don't know what antibluffing is.

Unless it's stealing the blinds/antes.

steal the antes

(v phrase) Win just the antes by bluffing; get everyone to fold, usually by opening in late position when no one else appears to be interested in the pot, before there is any real action, and thus win the antes.


steal the blinds

(v phrase) Win just the blinds by bluffing; get the blinds to fold, usually by opening in late position, and thus win the blinds. See blind robber.

Source: web page (http://www.planetpoker.com/dictionary/)

[Louie Landale]

"Anti-Bluffing", I guess, is NOT betting a clearly good hand in the hopes the opponent takes the bait and bluffs.

"Bluffing" is betting a hand that has no show-down equity if called. Everybody must fold or you lose. Note that betting a good hand is still a "bluff" if the opponent will not call with a worse one.

"Semi-Bluffing", I prefer to think, is betting hands that have some but not a great deal of show-down equity if called; in the hopes that everybody folds. If you ARE called, at least you can still win. The theory here is that even if your hand isn't worth a clear bluff (the opponents will call too often), and isn't worth value betting (it isn't going to show down a winner often), it is the combination of these two that makes the bet profitable. The other theory is that if the opponents know that when you bet you always have SOMETHING, even if not a lot, you gain a great deal in the long haul.

Betting nothing but a flush draw with one card to go is a "semi-bluff". Betting the busted draw on the end is a "bluff".

- Louie