Poker Position Explained: Button, Blinds and Seats
Poker position is your seat compared with the dealer button, and it decides when you act in a hand. The later you act, the more you have already seen from the other players, which is a real advantage.
On this page
The dealer button and the blinds
The dealer button is a marker that shows which seat is the dealer for this hand. After every hand it moves one seat clockwise, so every player gets every position in turn.
The player to the left of the button posts the small blind of 10 chips. The next player posts the big blind of 20 chips. The player after the big blind acts first before the flop.
Who acts first and who acts last
Before the flop the order starts with the player after the big blind. The big blind acts last. After the flop, the turn and the river the order changes: the small blind (or the first active seat to the left of the button) acts first, and the button acts last.
This is why the button is the best seat. On every street after the flop, the button player sees what everyone else does before choosing.
Early, middle and late position
- Early position: the first seats to act after the big blind. You know nothing about the players behind you.
- Middle position: the seats in the middle. Some players are behind you, some have already acted.
- Late position: the cutoff (the seat right before the button) and the button itself. Few players are left to act after you.
- The blinds: the small blind and the big blind. They act last before the flop but first after it, which is a hard spot.
The names of the middle seats differ between rooms, so use the groups as a guide, not as a strict rule.
Seat names at a 6-player and a 9-player table
| Order | Seat | Group |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Under the gun (UTG) | Early |
| 2 | Hijack | Middle |
| 3 | Cutoff | Late |
| 4 | Button | Late |
| 5 | Small blind | Blind |
| 6 | Big blind | Blind |
| Order | Seat | Group |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Under the gun (UTG) | Early |
| 2 | UTG+1 | Early |
| 3 | UTG+2 | Early |
| 4 | Lowjack | Middle |
| 5 | Hijack | Middle |
| 6 | Cutoff | Late |
| 7 | Button | Late |
| 8 | Small blind | Blind |
| 9 | Big blind | Blind |
Why acting later is an advantage
When you act last, you have seen every check, call, raise and fold before your decision. A check from everyone may mean that nobody has a strong hand. A big raise may mean the opposite.
Both players
The flop
Both players hold Ks Jd and the flop is Jc 8h 3s, so both have a pair of jacks.
The player in early position must bet or check without any information. The button player sees that check first.
If the early player checks, the button can see the next card for free or bet. If the early player bets big, the button can fold and risk no more chips. The same cards are easier to play from the later seat.
How position changes which hands you play
In early position many players still have to act behind you, and any of them may hold a strong hand. So play only strong hands there, such as high pairs and A-K.
In late position fewer players are left, and you will act last after the flop. You can play more hands there, such as smaller pairs and two cards of the same suit that are close in rank. In the blinds you have already put chips in, but you act first after the flop, so do not call just because the price looks small.
This is a rule of thumb for beginners. It does not decide every hand, and no strategy removes luck.
The heads-up exception
When only two players are left at the table, the order is different. The button posts the small blind and acts first before the flop. After the flop, turn and river the opponent acts first, and the button acts last.
So even heads-up the button keeps the advantage after the flop, where most of the betting takes place.
Common mistakes
- Playing the same hands from every seat.
- Calling in the blinds only because you already paid a part.
- Forgetting that the order changes after the flop.
- Ignoring that the button moves, so your position is different next hand.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best position in poker?
The button is the best position, because the player on the button acts last on the flop, turn and river and sees what the others do first.
What is the cutoff in poker?
The cutoff is the seat right before the button, one seat to the right of it. It is the second best seat because only the button acts after it.
Who acts first in poker?
Before the flop the player after the big blind acts first. After the flop the small blind, or the first active player to the left of the button, acts first.
Does the dealer button ever stay in one place?
No, the button moves one seat clockwise after every hand, so over many hands every player sits in every position.