Does the value of position change throughout the tournament?

Position after the flop becomes less important late in a tournament because usually players are all-in pre-flop or must either push or fold the flop. However, blind stealing becomes more important at this stage of the tournament, which means that position before the flop is more important. You can steal or even raise for value on the CO or button, when you must only convince 2-3 more players to fold, with hands that you would have to mucK under the gun, when there are 8-9 players who could wake up with a big hand behind you. Position becomes less about outplaying your opponents and more about game theory and recognizing steal opportunities.

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Position after the flop becomes less important late in a tournament because usually players are all-in pre-flop or must either push or fold the flop. However, blind stealing becomes more important at this stage of the tournament, which means that position before the flop is more important. You can steal or even raise for value on the CO or button, when you must only convince 2-3 more players to fold, with hands that you would have to mucK under the gun, when there are 8-9 players who could wake up with a big hand behind you. Position becomes less about outplaying your opponents and more about game theory and recognizing steal opportunities.

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good point.

you say "Position after the flop becomes less important late in a tournament because usually players are all-in pre-flop or must either push or fold the flop".

All in preflop is more true of the last 2 or 3 tables (much of which is short handed anyway), but not so much before then. Very good points though.

i think i should have clarified this a bit....when this phenomenon begins to occur, the tables are fairly shorthanded....obviously at a full table...it's much harder...more bullets to dodge...

I say last 2-3 tables, and especially final table...based on relative blinds/stack ratios in online play...

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i think i should have clarified this a bit....when this phenomenon begins to occur, the tables are fairly shorthanded....obviously at a full table...it's much harder...more bullets to dodge...

I say last 2-3 tables, and especially final table...based on relative blinds/stack ratios in online play...

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i'd like to hear some others opinions on this.

Assuming we are talking about pushing, I still think even the last 2 to 3 tables that it's not a matter of early position being favorable (quite the opposite due to the fact that you have more players to act after you), but that it is aggression that is favorable (regardless of position). After pushing in once or twice from UTG, you have to realize that someone will either have a big hand one of those times or catch on and call you when they realize what you are doing. Aggression = high risk/high reward. EP aggression = dangerously high risk/high reward. Any one else's comments? I seem to be repeating myself here.

nice thought provoking post cantloseon22

well high risk/high reward is what this game is about...I am obviously not advocating of doing this nonstop...but even if someone knows what i am doing it's pretty tough to call with anything but good hands....sure I am going all in on rag flop but can you call me with ace high and not be sure I caught a piece of the board? being up front in a shorthanded game creates a beneficial circumstance....big hands are not as easy to come by as you make it out to be especially in shorthanded games...and even if I get called by anything except monsters I still likely have live cards and a 3:2 or 2:1 underdog....early position becomes very useful especially against other aggressive players in late position with some chips to play post flop....all in flop...chances are they missed and can't call....and have 3 cards less to save them....plus if i can steal blinds 2-3 times that equats to a huge amount of chips in late stages of a tournament...I may very well double up this way....but obviously you have to have a chipstack of around avg or better so opponents calling you need to know if they loose they'll be dented, crippled or gone if they step in your way...