Positions
Position in poker
Definition
Your seat relative to the dealer button, which decides when you act: the later you act, the more information you have.
In Texas Hold'em the order of action is fixed. Before the flop the seats are early (UTG), middle, late (hijack, cutoff, button) and the blinds; after the flop the first player to the left of the button acts first and the button acts last.
Position is one of the biggest edges in poker. Players in late position see what their opponents do before they decide, so they can play more hands, bluff more safely and control the size of the pot.
Related terms
- In position (IP)Acting after your opponent on the current betting round, so you see their action before you decide.
- Out of position (OOP)Acting before your opponent on the current betting round, so you must decide without seeing what they will do.
- Button (BTN)The dealer position, marked by a button; it acts last on every street after the flop and is the best seat at the table.
- Under the gun (UTG)The first player to act before the flop, seated directly left of the big blind; the earliest and toughest position.
- Cutoff (CO)The seat directly to the right of the button; the second-best position and a common seat for steals.