Waiting has a few advantages. It will give you time to observe your competition and determine the type of players at your table; notice the quality of starting hands being played and who are playing them. Is the table tight or lose? Observing the table while you wait will give you an insight about your competition. Waiting will also give you a few minutes to settle in and get your mind emotionally prepared for the game.
Online Advantage Play
When you play online you also have the option of posting right away or you can wait for the big blind. Many sites even have a button you can click to wait for the big blind. I have found an advantage play online which I call “Past Posting.”
Instead of posting right away or even waiting for the big blind, I sit out until the button passes me and then I enter the game. I am now posting the big blind but I am doing so in late position. The blinds have the advantage of being in late position before the flop but the disadvantage of being in early position after the flop. When I wait until after the button passes I am entering the game in late position with the option to check or raise when it is my turn. After the flop, I am second-to-last to act, putting me in extremely good position. I still have several hands until the blinds get back to me.
This play can only be done when you join a new game. In the casino they won’t let you wait until the button passes if you are sitting at the table. You can however use this play if you take a break from the game.
Returning to a Game
Sooner or later you will need to take a break. In a casino cardroom you can get up and leave the table to go to the bathroom, stretch your legs or take a break for any other reason. I used to try and take my breaks after it was my turn to act as the blinds. I noticed one problem with this. I was always leaving the table when I was in late position giving up the advantage that acting later gave me.
Instead of taking a break after the blind, I leave the table one hand before I am the big blind when I am going to be under the gun. Since this is the worst position, where you have to act first I don't mind missing this hand. I then return to the table after the dealer button has passed me.
Granted in a live game when you miss both your blinds you have to post the big blind and forfeit a small blind when you sit back down. Most of the time I fold the small blind if I don't have a playable hand so for the price of the small blind I have bought myself excellent position.
When you are playing online you click the “post and fold” button when you want to take a break. On many of the online poker sites you don’t even forfeit a small blind when you return to the game. You either post the big blind or wait for it to come back around to you. This means you can use the “past posting” when you return from a break as well.
A Small Advantage
Posting behind the button will not give you a big edge. It can only be done when you enter a game or returning from a break. However if you are constantly jumping in and out of games online you can use if more often. In poker even a small edge can help in the long run and this is just another one you can add to your playing strategy.
Until Next time remember:
Luck comes and goes.....Knowledge Stays Forever.