In general (for reasons I’ve discussed elsewhere at Poker1), you should sit to the left of the loosest players and act after they do. Sometimes, it’s hard to decide what the best-available seat is, though, and there are other factors you should consider.
For instance, in hold ’em, Omaha, and other blind games, it’s worth money if opponents are too conservative in blind positions. That’s usually much more profitable than having overly aggressive blinds to your left (with you sitting to their right).
Aggression vs. timidity
Too much aggression from blind positions vs. late-position opponents doesn’t carry the same penalty that over-aggressive tactics do in many other circumstances. Too much timidity in the blind positions, when under attack, can be quite costly. So, you should prefer opponents on your left who fail to properly defend their blinds.
That’s why it’s often profitable to sit to the right of players who too-willingly surrender their blinds, giving you an opportunity to win that money by acting first, and to the left of players who do not attack the blinds liberally enough — so that you can get an occasional free “walk” when you might have otherwise folded.
Doing this can add a lot more profit than most players think. That’s because — if you’re playing correct strategy — few of the pots you contest are from early positions. Most are from late positions. And when you have a bonus of frequently winning the blinds without a fight, that can be an enormous boost to your bankroll.
Other seating rules
So, yes, beyond this advice, you should still often sit to the left of the loosest players. They supply more money when you hold a positional advantage over them. And sit to the right of tight players, because they don’t play enough hands to maximize their positional advantage over you. Those rules of choosing seats always apply.
But making these choices is sometimes difficult and the best seat can be unclear. So, when in doubt, choose a seat that puts timid players in the blinds to your left. It’s a powerful and profitable choice. — MC
