What poker position means
In poker, position is where you sit relative to the dealer button and, crucially, when you act during a hand. It is not a permanent seat: the button moves after each hand, so players’ positions change over the course of a game.
Common Texas Hold’em position names include the button (BTN), cutoff (CO), hijack (HJ), lojack (LJ), small blind (SB) and big blind (BB). Larger tables add early positions such as UTG, the player who acts first before the flop. The number and names of positions depend on how many players are at the table.
Why position matters
Position matters because acting after your opponents, especially after the flop, lets you see what they do before making your decision. That information can help you choose whether to bet, call or fold and assess the likely strength of their hands. The later you act, the more of this informational advantage you generally have.
The button is the most favorable position after the flop: its player acts last on the flop, turn and river. The cutoff acts before the button, while earlier positions act sooner. The blinds are an important pre-flop exception: they post forced bets before receiving their cards, but after the flop the small blind and big blind act first, in that order. So the pre-flop action order should not be confused with the post-flop order.
Using position in decisions
Position affects which hands are more comfortable to play. Acting early means making decisions with less information, so players generally use a tighter hand selection. From a later position, after observing others, a player may be able to play a wider range of hands. This is a strategic guideline, not a guarantee of profit: the cards, opponents’ actions and circumstances of the hand also matter.
The blinds have already put chips into the pot before seeing their cards and will often have to act first after the flop. Recognizing that disadvantage can help prevent automatic decisions based only on having posted a forced bet. From any seat, position is one factor in evaluating a hand and its context, not a substitute for either.