Let’s assume you’re a good Texas Holdem player. Let’s assume you know what’s going on, and you know how to use your position to your advantage.

So, let’s also assume that you get to choose your seats. You’re familiar with the players, and you know, at least generally if they’re aggressive or not.

Can you answer the question, “Who do you want on your right and who do you want on your left?”

If you can, good for you. Put this away right now and go be playing in a game. If not, then read on, the results may surprise you.

In all things poker related, every bit of strategy counts. Including, if you can help it, who’s sitting beside you on either side.

As a general rule of thumb, you’ll want aggressive poker players on your right, and submissive and passive players to your left.

Now bear in mind, this won’t happen perfectly all the time. But if you can help it, absolutely try to get at least one aggressive player to your right and one passive one to your left.

It’s a world of hurt if you have loose aggressive players on both sides, since these people generally ruin your playing strategy because they essentially trap you between their ego war.

But don’t fret, they usually cancel each other out, and one of them will be gone before you know it.

Pray it’s the one left.

I give this advice because it’s most advantageous to your style of play. You can decide if you want to bust the aggressive maniac to your right, and at the same time, you get to see his action before you have to decide.

And as for the passive player on your left, you get to “choose” his moves for him as they generally only play if you don’t put the pressure on them.

This set-up is most definitely a win-win . Use it to your advantage whenever you can.