Poker Positions Guide: Position Names and Strategy

Position is everything in poker. Your seat at the table determines when you act, how much information you have for decisions, and ultimately how much money you can make. While good players win from any position, mastering poker positions is essential for maximizing your edge and profits.

What Are Poker Positions?

Poker seating positions refer to where players sit relative to the dealer button. The dealer button rotates one seat clockwise after each hand, ensuring every player experiences all poker positions throughout the game. This rotation is fundamental to poker’s fairness – while some positions offer advantages over others, all players get equal turns in each position as the game progresses.

You’ll always know your position by looking at the dealer button. In a nine-player game, seats directly to the left of the dealer are considered “early positions,” while the ones at the dealer’s right are “late positions.” Between these are the middle positions.

What Does In Position Mean in Poker?

In position poker provides a massive advantage because you act after your opponents on each betting round. This enables better pot control, more effective bluffing, and more informed decisions throughout the hand. Imagine sitting on the button – after seeing your opponents check or bet cautiously, you can choose to value bet or bluff based on their shown weakness. This positional advantage is one of poker’s most powerful tools.

What Does Out of Position Mean in Poker?

Out of position poker forces you to act first, making decisions without knowing how opponents will respond. Imagine sitting in the small blind – you must act before seeing how others will play their hands. While challenging, out of position poker isn’t impossible to win from. With selective hand ranges, cautious play, and well-timed aggression, you can minimize the positional disadvantage.

Absolute vs Relative Position

Your absolute position is fixed relative to the dealer button for the current hand. For example, being on the button means you’ll act last after the flop regardless of how many players are in the pot.

Relative position depends on who’s still in the hand. Even with good absolute position, if aggressive players remain to act behind you, your relative position becomes more difficult to play.

9 Handed Poker Positions

The dynamics of poker positions change based on table size. In a 9-max game (full ring), positions are:

Blinds

• Small Blind (SB): Posts half the big blind, acts first post-flop
• Big Blind (BB): Posts full blind amount, acts last pre-flop

Early Position

• Under the Gun (UTG): First to act pre-flop
• UTG+1: Second to act
• UTG+2: Third to act

Middle Position

• Lojack (LJ): Fourth to act
• Hijack (HJ): Two seats right of Button
• Cutoff (CO): One seat right of Button

Late Position

• Button (BTN): Dealer position, acts last post-flop

Small Blind (SB)

Playing from the small blind is one of poker’s biggest challenges – you have to put money in before seeing your cards and act first after the flop. Focus on playing strong hands like big pairs (JJ+) and strong face cards (like AK, AQ). When you have a good hand, consider raising big before the flop to take control. In pots with multiple players, play very carefully unless you have a really strong hand.

Big Blind (BB)

The big blind has some hidden advantages despite being out of position. Since you’ve already put in a full bet, you get better odds to call before the flop and get to act last in this round. This means you can play more hands than from the small blind. After the flop, keep your play straightforward with good hands and occasionally mix in some check-raises against aggressive players. When players in late positions raise, you can call with more hands but be ready to fold if they keep betting.

Under the Gun (UTG)

Being first to act (UTG) means playing very carefully. Stick to your best hands like big pairs (TT+), AK, and AQ. These hands hold up well when multiple players get involved and can withstand raises. When other players show strength, be ready to fold your weaker hands and continue only with your strongest ones that dominate what they might have.

UTG+1

One seat to the left of UTG gives you a bit more freedom, but still requires careful play. You can add some suited face cards and medium pairs to your starting hands. After the flop, stay aggressive with your good hands but be careful when players in better positions show strength. You’re still playing from an early position, so avoid tricky situations without very strong hands.

UTG+2

The last early position lets you play more hands while still being careful. You can now play all pairs and more suited connected cards (like JTs, T9s). When early position players call, you can bet more often after the flop. Just remember that players acting after you have an advantage, so stay aware of strong players in late positions.

Lojack (LJ)

Moving to middle position in the Lojack opens up more opportunities. You can play more hands like suited Aces, connected cards, and all pairs. After the flop, you can bet more often on boards that likely hit your hand range. Against players who act after you, stay aggressive but be ready to adjust if they start pushing back.

Hijack (HJ)

The Hijack is a great position for stealing pots and playing more hands. You can open with many suited connectors (like 89s), face cards, and most Aces. Use your position to put pressure on earlier positions, but remember the button still has an advantage over you. Adjust your play based on how the button player tends to react.

Cutoff (CO)

The Cutoff is one of the best positions, sitting right before the button. You can play lots of hands including all pairs, suited connectors, and many unpaired face cards. Your late position lets you steal pots often and get full value from your good hands. Just be aware that the button might adjust to your aggressive play.

Button (BTN)

The button is poker’s power position – you act last after the flop, giving you the most information. Play your widest range of hands here, including all pairs, suited connectors, and many unpaired cards. Use your position to control pot sizes perfectly, steal blinds often, and get maximum value from your good hands. Against the blinds, use your advantage to pressure their weaker hands.

6 Handed Poker Positions

Six-handed poker (6-max) is a faster, more aggressive game than full-ring (9 players). With fewer players, you’ll play more hands and face more action. Here’s how to approach each position:

• UTG: First to act
• HJ: Two seats right of Button
• CO: One seat right of Button
• BTN: Dealer position
• SB: Small blind
• BB: Big blind

With the shorter-handed dynamic, players must adjust to more aggressive play and wider ranges, especially from late position.

Under the Gun (UTG)

In 6-max, you can play more hands from UTG than in a full game, but it’s still the most careful position. Play all pairs 77 and better, face cards with good suits, and strong connected suited cards like QJs. Stay aggressive after the flop when you hit, but expect more resistance since 6-max players fight back more often.

Hijack (HJ)

The Hijack in 6-max plays like a middle position in a full game. You can open with all pairs, Aces with good kickers, and suited connected cards (like 78s and better). Mix up your play after the flop between aggressive betting and careful checking, especially when facing late position players.

Cutoff (CO)

The Cutoff in 6-max lets you play very aggressively. Open with any pair, suited face cards, and most suited connectors. Keep your play balanced between value bets and bluffs. Use your position to pressure the blinds while watching out for the button player’s moves.

Button (BTN)

The button in 6-max is your most profitable position. Play almost any hand with potential, including all pairs, suited connectors, and most Aces. After the flop, use your position to control the pot size and pressure your opponents. If the blinds start fighting back hard, adjust how often you bet.

Small Blind (SB)

Playing the small blind in 6-max requires aggression when the button folds. Play your strong hands fast and avoid tricky situations when out of position. When the button opens a lot, mix in some big raises with both your good hands and occasional bluffs.

Big Blind (BB)

The big blind faces constant pressure in 6-max, so you’ll defend more hands than in a full game. Call raises more often from late positions, but play carefully after the flop. Mix in some check-raises and occasional big raises before the flop against aggressive opponents.

Strategy Guide for Each Poker Position

Understanding poker strategy for each position is essential for mastering the game. Each seat offers distinct advantages and challenges that affect optimal play.

Position	Where is This Position?	Hands to Play/Best Strategy
UTG	First to act after big blind	Play tight, premium hands (e.g., high pairs, AK).
UTG+ 1	Second to act after big blind	Tight range, slightly more flexible than UTG.
UTG +2 (MP1)	Third to act; middle position starts here	Open up range, mid-pairs, and suited connectors.
MP2	Middle of the table	More flexible; balanced between aggression and caution.
MP3	Middle position closer to late position	Wider hand range; exploit weak players, speculative hands.
Cutoff	Seat directly to the right of the dealer button	Play a wide range; steal blinds and pots often.
Button (BTN)	Dealer position, last to act	Most flexible; play aggressively and bluff effectively.
Small Blind (SB)	First to act post-flop after big blind	Defend wide, small pot control, strong hands preferred.
Big Blind (BB)	Forced bet, last to act pre-flop	Defend wider due to pot odds, play cautiously post-flop.

Generally, position ranges are categorized by the seat you occupy at the table: early, middle, late, and blinds. Here’s what you need to remember:

Poker Ranges by Position

By now, you probably know that the hands you play should change for every position. 

Adjusting your hand ranges based on position is crucial for profitable poker. Early positions require tight ranges of strong hands, while later positions can play wider ranges profitably. Let’s examine optimal ranges for each position:

Early Position Strategy — Play Tight, Stay Strong

From early position, stick to premium hands that play well without positional advantage:

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Playing too many marginal hands
• Over-valuing suited hands
• Being too aggressive without position
• Failing to account for players left to act

Middle Position Strategy — Balanced Aggression

Middle positions allow a wider but still selective range:

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Playing too passively with position
• Over-valuing small pairs
• Not adjusting to aggressive late position players
• Missing steal opportunities

Late Position Strategy — Maximize Your Edge

Late positions can profitably play the widest ranges:

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Not stealing enough blinds
• Playing too fit-or-fold post-flop
• Missing value bet opportunities
• Over-bluffing against observant players

Why Positions in Poker Are Important

Position affects every aspect of winning poker play. Understanding position’s impact helps you:

Information Advantage
Acting last provides crucial information about opponents’ hands and intentions. You see how they respond to the board before deciding, allowing better bluffs and value bets. This information edge compounds throughout the hand.

Pot Control
Position lets you control pot size based on hand strength. Check back to keep pots small with marginal hands, or bet for value when ahead. This flexibility in pot control dramatically affects long-term profits.

Bluffing Opportunities
Late position creates more profitable bluffing spots. You can assess opponents’ weakness through their actions and exploit it more effectively than when acting first.

Maximizing Value
Strong hands make more money in position. You can extract value through better sizing and by exploiting opponents’ mistakes when they act first.

Range Flexibility
Position allows playing wider ranges profitably. While early positions demand tight play, later positions can exploit positional advantage with weaker hands.

Perfect and Polish Your Poker Position Play

Understanding poker positions forms the foundation of a winning strategy. Start by mastering basic positional concepts in low-stakes games or freerolls. As you gain experience, expand your ranges and adapt to different table dynamics. With practice, strong positional play will become natural and highly profitable.

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