Supporting Guide
Poker Positions Explained
Quick Answer
Your position is your seat relative to the dealer button. It decides when you act in each betting round. Seats that act early are at a disadvantage because they decide with the least information. The button acts last on the flop, turn and river, which makes it the best seat at the table.
Table of Contents
The seat names
Seats are named clockwise from the button. At a full nine-handed table:
| Seat | Short name | Group |
|---|---|---|
| Small blind | SB | Blinds |
| Big blind | BB | Blinds |
| Under the gun | UTG | Early |
| Under the gun +1 | UTG+1 | Early |
| Middle position | MP | Middle |
| Lojack | LJ | Middle |
| Hijack | HJ | Middle to late |
| Cutoff | CO | Late |
| Button | BTN | Late |
At a six-handed table the early seats disappear. The six seats are small blind, big blind, under the gun, hijack, cutoff and button. Seat names vary a little between players and books, but "under the gun", "cutoff" and "button" mean the same thing everywhere.
The button moves one seat clockwise after every hand, so everyone plays every position in turn.
Order of action
- Pre-flop: under the gun acts first, then each seat clockwise. The small blind and big blind act last.
- Flop, turn and river: the small blind acts first if still in the hand, then each seat clockwise. The button acts last.
So the blinds get to act last once, before the flop, and then act first for the rest of the hand. That is the main reason the blinds lose money over time for almost every player.
Why acting last helps
- You see more before you decide. A check from an opponent or a large bet tells you something, and you get that information for free.
- You control the size of the pot. If everyone checks to you, you can bet or take a free card.
- Bluffs are cheaper. When opponents check to you, a bet takes down pots nobody seems to want.
- You lose less with second-best hands. You can fold to strength shown in front of you instead of betting into it.
How position changes which hands you play
From early position you still have most of the table to act behind you, and any of them could hold a strong hand. Play only your best hands there. From the cutoff and button, fewer players are left to act and you will have position after the flop, so you can profitably play more hands.
The starting hands guide gives a chart by position.
Heads-up is different
With only two players, the button posts the small blind and the other player posts the big blind. The button acts first before the flop and last on every later round.
FAQ
What is the best position in poker?
The button. It acts last on the flop, turn and river, so the player there always sees what everyone else does first.
What does under the gun mean?
Under the gun, or UTG, is the seat directly to the left of the big blind. That player acts first before the flop.
What is the cutoff?
The cutoff is the seat directly to the right of the button. It is the second-best position because only the button acts after it on later rounds.
Why are the blinds bad positions?
The blinds have to put chips in before seeing their cards, and they act first on the flop, turn and river.
Related Reading
Sources
Seat names and the order of action follow standard cardroom practice as described in Robert's Rules of Poker. Names for the middle seats vary between sources.
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