One might wonder why I would devote an article to where to sit in a poker game. My answer is that it is one of the most important variables of whether, and how much, money you make in a game. In many instances it is the sole factor between a winning and losing session.

Ask most players why they pick a seat and you will get answers like; it's an end seat, it's a non-smoking seat next to the dealer, or I can see the TV better from here. The most common reason for changing seats usually goes like this, "This seat is cold. Or, conversely, that seat is hot, can I have it when you leave?" While the above statements may seem reasonable, to a player that knows how to win they are childish nonsense. They are not decisions made with any thought of strategy.

There is one argument, although wrong, that shows some thought so let's explore it. It is the idea that you should have the better players to your right so that you can act after them. The logic is that the better player (1) plays only the best cards and (2) since they are better players, you are outmatched and should stay out of their way. While this may seem like good reasoning: it is flawed. Why you ask, because it is usually coupled with a statement like, "When I play tight I can't make any money." Let me explain why.

The biggest complaint players' give when they say they've play tight is that everyone folds when they enter a hand. Every other player at the table has noticed that the person is a 'rock' and simply folds because they figure 'the rock' has wired aces: or something equivalent. It is extremely frustrating to have patiently waited for that good starting hand, only to have everyone fold out on you. This problem is a direct result of the tight players' position in relation to the others. It is a matter of the flow of information.

Let's set up a typical situation to see how it works. At any given table there are 'loose players' that play a lot of hands and 'tight players' that play only a few hands. The tight players are usually considered to be the good players so most people try to get them on the right. This way they can fold if good player enters a hand. So, let's say you are a tight player struggling to make money. This is what is happening. As the action goes around the players in front of you fold. Why, because they are tight players and play very few hands to start with. You finally have that great starting hand and enter. Not only do you enter - you most likely raise and thereby fully announce yourself to the table. The loose players on your left (which is the only place for them because the tight ones' are on the right) think, "oh shit he's playing" and also fold with all but the best hands. No one is left to play with. To make things worse you have set it up so that when there are players in there, you are playing against only the best hands. The players in front have good hands because they are tight and only play with good hands. The players behind you have good hands because they have noticed that you only play with the best and will only venture against you if they too have a good hand.

So, how do you solve this dilemma? Simple, flip the situation over and put the loose players on your right. Now, you have the loose players acting before you and, by default, the tight ones acting after. What this initially does is trap the loose player into playing against you. By being denied the information of whether you will play the loose player does what is natural to him - he plays loose. Therefore he is already in the hand by the time the action gets to you. He won't even fold if you raise the bet because he already has money in the pot. Rarely will players fold once they have committed chips. (He may snarl a bit, but that is a good sign that he has a bad hand.) So you actually trap him for two bets. As a bonus he is quite often intimidated and will fold at the first sign of danger, i.e. a bet on the flop. But not before donating his first round of bets to your cause.

Additionally, it is a given truth with loose-passive players, although it diminishes in value as the loose player gets more aggressive, that most loose players will only raise when they have a good starting hand. The players have given up information that you otherwise would not have had. You continue with this advantage throughout the hand. If there is no raise before the flop, you enter most likely with the best hand up to that point.

But what about the good player acting behind. He folds. Why you ask, because he is a tight player and probably wouldn't of played anyway. The odds that you and he will both have good starting hands and thereby be it the same pot are small. It is exasperated by the fact that he has probably noticed that you play only good hands and tightens up even more. Ah, but wait, there is actually information to be gained in this situation. If you enter, and a good player enters behind you, you can count on him having not only a good hand, but a great one. Continue with extreme caution.

To wrap it up, by sitting with the loose players on the right and the tight players on the left you are in a position to trap the weak hands in the game and set yourself up in the best possible situations. Now where you sit isn't always under your control. Usually you are stuck with the seat left open when someone leaves the game. But, if you are serious about winning, always try and get the live money on your right. It is the position in which you will make the most money.