Intermediate Using Position to Control Pot Size from the Hijack David Parker URL has been copied successfully! By balancing aggression with restraint, you protect your stack while still applying pressure Playing from the hijack gives you a unique mix of control and risk. You are close enough to late position to apply pressure, but still early enough that mistakes can inflate pots unnecessarily if you are not careful. The biggest advantage of the hijack is information. Most of the table has already acted, giving you clues about hand strength behind you. This allows smarter decisions about when to build a pot or keep it small. Open sizing matters a lot from this seat. Using slightly smaller raises with medium-strength hands helps you avoid bloated pots. Strong hands can still be raised confidently, especially against tighter blinds. Hand selection should lean toward playability. Suited connectors, strong broadways, and pocket pairs perform well because they can realize equity without forcing you into large pots when you miss the flop. Postflop, position helps you control the betting tempo. When checked to, small continuation bets can deny equity while keeping the pot manageable. This is ideal when holding top pair with a weak kicker. Against aggressive players on the cutoff or button, pot control becomes even more important. Checking more often protects your range and avoids getting blown off marginal hands by well-timed raises. Board texture should guide your sizing. Dry boards allow smaller bets to accomplish the same goal as larger ones. Wet boards may require caution, especially when out of position against multiple opponents. Knowing when to slow down is key. If resistance comes from later position, it often signals strength. Folding or checking back can save chips that add up over a long session.