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A poker table seen from above with its seats, the dealer button and an arrow showing play moving clockwise

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Poker Positions

Every seat at the table has a name and a job. Here is who acts when, and why the button is the best seat in poker.

See the table

The short answer

What are the positions in poker?

Your position is where you sit compared with the dealer button, and it decides when you act. The button acts last after the flop, so it is the best seat. The two blinds put money in before the deal and act first after the flop. Everyone else is named by how soon they act before the flop, starting with the player under the gun.

  • Button: acts last after the flop
  • Cutoff and hijack: the seats before the button
  • Under the gun: first to act before the flop
  • Small and big blind: pay first, act first after the flop

The table

Poker table positions

The two tables you'll meet most: 6-max and a full table of 9. The dealer button moves one seat to the left after every hand, and every name moves with it.

6-max table
Poker positions at a 6-max table6 playersPlay moves clockwiseBTNButtonDSBSmall blindBBBig blindUTGUnder the gunHJHijackCOCutoff
Full table, 9 players
Poker positions at a full table, 9 players9 playersPlay moves clockwiseBTNButtonDSBSmall blindBBBig blindUTGUnder the gunUTG+1UTG+2LJLojackHJHijackCOCutoff
  • Early position
  • Middle position
  • Late position
  • The blinds

Seat by seat

Every poker position explained

In the order they act before the flop, at a full table of 9. At 6-max, the table starts at under the gun, then the hijack.

  • Under the gun

    Early

    UTG

    The first player to act before the flop, just to the left of the big blind. The whole table still acts after you, so this is the seat for your strongest hands.

  • UTG+1

    Early

    The seat to the left of under the gun, second to act before the flop. Most of the table is still behind you.

  • UTG+2

    Early

    Also called middle position

    Third to act before the flop at a full table. Many players call it middle position.

  • Lojack

    Middle

    LJ

    Three seats to the right of the button. From here on, fewer players act after you before the flop.

  • Hijack

    Middle

    HJ

    Two seats to the right of the button. Players here often raise to steal the blinds before the cutoff and the button can.

  • Cutoff

    Late

    CO

    The seat just to the right of the button, and the second best seat at the table. A raise from here can cut the button off from stealing the blinds.

  • Button

    Late

    BTN, also called the dealer

    The dealer's seat, marked by the dealer button. You act last on the flop, turn and river, which makes it the best seat at the table.

  • Small blind

    Blinds

    SB

    Posts half the big blind before the cards are dealt, then acts first on every round after the flop. Over time it is the hardest seat to win from.

  • Big blind

    Blinds

    BB

    Posts a full bet before the deal and acts last before the flop, but early on the flop, turn and river.

Whose turn

Who acts first: before and after the flop

The order flips once the flop comes: the blinds go from last to first, and the button becomes the last player to act. Here it is at a 6-max table.

Before the flop

  1. 1UTGUnder the gun
  2. 2HJHijack
  3. 3COCutoff
  4. 4BTNButton
  5. 5SBSmall blind
  6. 6BBBig blind

On the flop, turn and river

  1. 1SBSmall blind
  2. 2BBBig blind
  3. 3UTGUnder the gun
  4. 4HJHijack
  5. 5COCutoff
  6. 6BTNButton

With two players, the button posts the small blind, acts first before the flop and last after it. Our poker betting rules play a full hand through, action by action.

Early, middle, late

How to play each position

The later you act, the more hands you can play, because you see more of what the table does first.

  • Early position

    Under the gun, UTG+1, UTG+2

    Most of the table acts after you, so you know the least. Play fewer hands here: big pairs, ace-king and ace-queen, the hands that still stand up when someone raises behind you.

    Ace-king

  • Middle position

    Lojack, hijack

    About half the table is behind you. You can add smaller pairs, suited aces and hands like king-queen.

    King-queen

  • Late position

    Cutoff, button

    Only the blinds, and maybe one other player, act after you. Raise with more hands here, including suited connectors, and take the blinds when everyone folds.

    Eight-seven suited

  • The blinds

    Small blind, big blind

    Your money is in before you see your cards, and you act first after the flop. Defend the big blind with many hands when the raise is small; play fewer from the small blind.

    Ten-nine

Not sure which hands beat which? Start with our poker hand rankings.

Position

Why position matters in poker

  • Acting after your opponents means you see what they do before you decide, so every choice you make is better informed.
  • You control the size of the pot: check behind with a medium hand, or bet when everyone before you shows weakness.
  • Bluffs work better from late position, because a check in front of you often means a weak hand.
  • Over thousands of hands most players win the most from the button and lose the most from the blinds, where they pay before seeing their cards.

Glossary

In position, steals and other position words

In position
Acting after your opponent on the flop, turn and river, so you see what they do first.
Out of position
Acting before your opponent after the flop, so they see what you do first.
Open
The first raise before the flop. Players talk about the hands they open from each position.
Steal
A raise from the cutoff, button or small blind made mainly to win the blinds when everyone folds.
Blind defense
Calling or re-raising from the blinds when a player in late position raises.
Straddle
An optional extra blind, usually twice the big blind, posted under the gun. It buys the last action before the flop.

More words from the table are in our poker terms.

FAQ

Questions about poker positions

What are the positions in poker?

At a 6-max table: under the gun, hijack, cutoff, button, small blind and big blind. A full 9-handed table adds UTG+1, UTG+2 and the lojack. Every name counts from the dealer button, which moves one seat to the left after each hand.

What is the best position in poker?

The button. You act last on the flop, turn and river, so you see what everyone else does before you decide. The cutoff, just to its right, is the second best seat.

What does UTG mean in poker?

Under the gun: the first player to act before the flop, sitting just to the left of the big blind. With the whole table still to act behind you, it is the seat to play your strongest hands from.

What is the hijack in poker?

The seat two places to the right of the button. The name comes from players in that seat raising to steal the blinds before the cutoff and the button get the chance.

What is the cutoff in poker?

The seat just to the right of the button. A raise from the cutoff can cut the button off from stealing the blinds, which is where the name comes from.

Who acts first in poker?

Before the flop, the player to the left of the big blind. On the flop, turn and river, the first player still in to the left of the button. With two players, the button acts first before the flop and last after it. Our poker betting rules show it in a full hand.

Why is the small blind a bad position?

You put in half a bet before you see your cards, and then you act first on every round after the flop. Most players lose more from the small blind than from any other seat.

Do the positions change every hand?

Yes. The dealer button moves one seat to the left after each hand, so every position moves with it and everyone pays the blinds in turn.

Take your seat

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