Poker Positions Explained (Button, Blinds, Early, Middle, Late)

Position is the most important concept in Texas Hold'em strategy. Where you sit determines when you act—and acting last is a huge advantage.

The dealer button

A white disc marked "DEALER" or "D" rotates clockwise after each hand. The player with the button is technically the dealer, though in home games one person often deals for everyone.

Position relative to the button determines everything:

Who posts blinds
Who acts first each round
Who sees everyone else's actions before deciding

The button moves left after every hand. Over time, everyone gets equal position.

Blind positions

Two players must post forced bets before cards are dealt:

Position	Name	Forced Bet
1 left of button	Small blind	Half the big blind
2 left of button	Big blind	Full minimum bet

Example: In a $1/$2 game, small blind posts $1, big blind posts $2.

These positions rotate with the button. If you're in the big blind this hand, next hand the player to your left is big blind.

Position names (9-handed table)

From the button, count clockwise to name positions:

Early position (EP)

Act first, weakest position:

Seat	Name	Abbreviation
1 left of BB	Under the Gun	UTG
2 left of BB	UTG+1	UTG+1
3 left of BB	UTG+2	UTG+2

Early position players must act before anyone else. Play tight hands here—you have no information about what others will do.

Middle position (MP)

Seat	Name	Abbreviation
4 left of BB	Lojack	LJ
5 left of BB	Hijack	HJ

Middle position has some information from early position actions. You can widen your range slightly.

Late position (LP)

Best positions—act last or near-last:

Seat	Name	Abbreviation
2 left of button	Cutoff	CO
1 left of button	Button	BTN

The button is the best position. You act last on every street (flop, turn, river). The cutoff is second-best—you're "cut" off from the button.

Blinds

Seat	Name
1 left of button	Small blind (SB)
2 left of button	Big blind (BB)

Blinds act last pre-flop, but first on every subsequent street. This makes them tricky positions—you're out of position for three betting rounds.

6-handed table positions

Home games often have 6 players. Position names condense:

Seat	Name	Abbreviation
1	Small blind	SB
2	Big blind	BB
3	Under the gun	UTG
4	Middle position / Hijack	HJ
5	Cutoff	CO
6	Button	BTN

Same concepts—just fewer "early" position seats.

Why position matters

Acting last means you see what everyone else does before deciding. This is information advantage:

Example:

You have A♠K♥ on the button
UTG raises, Cutoff calls
You've seen two players show strength
You can fold, call, or raise with full info
If everyone before you folds, you can steal with weaker hands

Early position players don't have this information. They must guess what players behind them will do.

Position strategy summary

Position	Strategy
Early (UTG, UTG+1)	Play only premium hands: AA, KK, QQ, AK
Middle (HJ, LJ)	Add suited connectors, mid pairs
Late (CO, BTN)	Widen range significantly—steal blinds, raise with marginal hands
Blinds	Defend selectively, play tight out of position

Golden rule: Play more hands in late position, fewer in early position.

Position in home games

Home games often have casual players who ignore position. Use this to your advantage:

Attack the blinds from late position—they often call without thinking
Squeeze from the button when early players raise—you have position on everyone
Respect early position raises more than late position—casual players don't bluff from UTG

Quick reference

Button – Best position (act last)
Blinds – Tricky (last pre-flop, first after)
UTG – Worst position (act first, no info)
Play tighter early, looser late

Position discipline separates winning players from losing ones. The same hand plays differently from different seats.

Related guides

Poker odds — Pot odds and counting outs
Hands per hour — Speed up your game

Practice position awareness at your next game →