One advantage of taking a seat next to the dealer in a real-world casino is that when you fold, it’s easy to slide your cards toward the center of the table without fanfare. When I’m trying to create a loose image that will get me extra calls, I want to draw attention to hands I play, but I want to fold as inconspicuously as possible. When I’m sitting next to the dealer, I gain the psychological advantage of being able to fold without drawing much attention to the act.
