Definition of Late Position

At a poker table, the last three positions are called late position. You are in the best position at the table. Reason being you have the most information about everyone around the table and your positional advantage will allow you to play hands in the most optimal way. Small pairs are much easier to play in late positions at the table because in position you can more easily control the size of the pot which you will be wanting to do a lot of the time as there will be overcards to your pair on the board.

The button is the most desirable position and it’s located to the left of the small blind. Knowledge is power and when you’re playing hands on the button you get to act last post-flop after all the other player’s have given you information about their hands. Many times you can take pots just by raising pre-flop and getting folds (this is called stealing the blinds and something you should do often against players in the blinds who don’t overdefend), and you will be able to take control of the table just by having superior position after the flop even when you get calls. At times, you can win the pot with any two cards just by virtue of your superior position at the table. This can be accomplished not just with blind steals but with light three-bets when you decide to re-raise someone’s opening raise as a bluff.