Position in Poker

What Is Position in Poker?

Position is where you sit relative to the dealer button, and it decides the order in which you act. Preflop, the action starts left of the big blind; on every street after the flop, it starts left of the button, so the button acts last. Acting after your opponents is being in position; acting before them is being out of position.

Acting last is an information advantage. You see whether your opponents check, bet or raise before you decide, while they have to act without knowing what you'll do. Positional awareness is one of the biggest differences between amateur and professional players.

The Dealer Button

Every hand has a dealer button, a white disc marked D. In a casino a house dealer deals every hand, so the button marks who acts as the dealer for that hand. The two players to its left post the blinds: the small blind, then the big blind.

After each hand the button moves one seat to the left, clockwise, and the blinds move with it. Over a full orbit every player gets the button once and pays each blind once, so every position comes around to everyone.

Seat Numbers vs Positions

A seat number is a physical seat: in a casino, seat 1 is the first seat on the dealer's left, and the numbers run clockwise around the table to seat 9 or 10. Your seat number stays the same all session. A position, like UTG or the button, is relative: it is counted from the dealer button, so it changes every hand as the button moves.

In the picture above, the button is in seat 7. Seat 8 is the small blind, seat 9 the big blind, and the shark in seat 1 is under the gun. Next hand, the button moves to seat 8: now seat 9 is the small blind, seat 1 the big blind, and seat 2 is under the gun. The shark didn't move, but went from UTG to the big blind.

The Positions at the Table

The six seats of a 6-max table, in the order they act preflop. A full ring table adds more early and middle seats before the hijack: UTG+1, middle position (MP) and the lojack (LJ).

Opening Ranges by Position

The closer you sit to the button, the fewer players are left to act behind you, and the more hands you can open profitably. Pick a seat to see a rough first-in opening range for 6-max No-Limit Hold'Em, as a share of all 1,326 starting combinations.

The chart ranks hands by equity against a random hand, from our simulations. Real opening charts also weigh how well a hand plays after the flop, so they include more suited connectors and fewer weak offsuit hands than a straight top-X% cut. The big blind doesn't open: it closes the action preflop and defends a wide range because it already has a blind in the pot.

Why Acting Last Wins Money

In position, you get to check behind and see a free card, bet when your opponent shows weakness, and keep the pot small with medium-strength hands. Out of position, you either bet into the unknown or check and give your opponent the choice. Over thousands of hands, that difference shows up in the results: most winning players make most of their money from the button and the cutoff, and lose the least they can from the blinds.

Position in Omaha

Position matters even more in pot-limit Omaha. Pots are often multiway, hands run closer in equity, and the betting grows with the pot, so a mistake out of position costs more. Most players open tighter from early seats in PLO and play fewer pots from the blinds.

Position FAQ

What is position in poker?

Position is where you sit relative to the dealer button, which decides the order in which you act. Acting after your opponents is called being in position; acting before them is out of position.

What is the best position in poker?

The button. Every street after the flop, the button acts last, so it sees what everyone else does before deciding.

What is the difference between a seat number and a position?

A seat number is the physical seat, counted clockwise from the dealer's left, and it stays the same all session. A position such as UTG or the button is counted from the dealer button, so it changes every hand as the button moves one seat to the left.

How does the dealer button move in poker?

One seat to the left, clockwise, after every hand. The small and big blinds move with it, so each player gets the button and pays each blind once per orbit.

What does UTG mean in poker?

UTG means under the gun: the first player to act preflop, sitting left of the big blind. It is the tightest seat to open from because every other player still acts behind you.

What are the positions in 6-max poker?

Under the gun (UTG), hijack (HJ), cutoff (CO), button (BTN), small blind (SB) and big blind (BB). A full ring game adds more early and middle seats before the hijack.

Why is position important in poker?

Acting last gives you information: you see whether opponents check, bet or raise before you decide. That lets you value bet, bluff and control the size of the pot better, which is why players open more hands the closer they sit to the button.

Does position matter more in Omaha?

Yes. Pot-limit Omaha pots are often multiway and the betting grows with the pot, so playing out of position costs more. Most players tighten up further from early seats and the blinds in PLO.