Poker position explained
Position is where you sit relative to the button. Later seats act with more information. Blinds are forced bets; position is the order after that.
Reviewed Oct 14, 2026
Answer first
90s- 01The button is the dealer marker — it moves one seat clockwise each hand.
- 02Early position (UTG) acts first preflop and has the least information.
- 03Cutoff and button act later — they see what others did.
- 04Blinds sit left of the button; they are seats, not a third game.
- 05A 1/2 sign is the blind sizes — see Poker blinds explained.
- 06Land rooms on White Gambling: poker-room listings, not online clients.
In short
Key takeaways
- Position is where you sit relative to the dealer button.
- Acting last is an advantage because you see others act first.
- The cutoff is the seat just right of the button.
- Play fewer hands from early seats and more from late seats.
Progress
Early → late (full ring, simplified)
- 1
UTG
Under the gun — first to act preflop
- 2
Middle
Hijack and neighbors — more info than UTG
- 3
Cutoff
Right of the button — late
- 4
Button
Last to act after the flop
Exact seat names shift with table size. The idea does not: later is more information.
Position vs blinds
| Word | What it is | What it is not |
|---|---|---|
| Button | Dealer marker | Not a forced bet |
| Small / big blind | Forced bets left of button | Not “position” as a skill slogan |
| UTG | First to act preflop | Not a stake level |
| Cutoff | Seat right of the button | Not a side bet |
If the board says 1/2, that is blinds. If someone says “I had the button,” that is position.
Floor rules
Seat labels you will hear
Know before you sit
- UTG
- Under the gun — first to act before the flop, left of the big blind on a full ring.
- Hijack / cutoff
- Late-middle and late seats. Cutoff is immediately right of the button.
- Button
- Dealer marker. Acts last after the flop. Moves every hand.
Progress
Positions at a 9-handed table
- 1
Small blind
Acts first after the flop
- 2
Big blind
Last to act preflop
- 3
Early (UTG)
First to act preflop; play tight
- 4
Middle
Some room to widen
- 5
Cutoff
One seat before the button
- 6
Button
Acts last after the flop — best seat
On the felt
Same hand, different seat
UTG
Usually fold: many players still to act
Cutoff
Often a raise: few players left
Button
Raise: you act last on every street
Floor rules
Position words
Know before you sit
- In position
- You act after your opponent on this street.
- Out of position
- You act first and give information away.
- Steal
- A raise from the cutoff or button to win the blinds.
- 3-bet
- A re-raise; tighter from early seats.
Playbook · Beginner
Simple position plan for beginners
Tip 01
Fold more early
From the first three seats, play only strong pairs and big aces.
Tip 02
Open wider late
From cutoff and button, raise more hands.
Tip 03
Defend the big blind
You already have chips in; call more often.
Tip 04
Play pots in position
Prefer calling raises from the button over the blinds.
Rough opening ranges by seat (9-handed)
| Seat | Share of hands | Example weakest open |
|---|---|---|
| UTG | ~10–12% | A-J offsuit, 7-7 |
| Middle | ~15–18% | K-Q offsuit, 5-5 |
| Cutoff | ~25–28% | K-10 offsuit, A-x suited |
| Button | ~40–45% | Q-9 offsuit, suited connectors |
| Small blind | ~30–35% raise or fold | Depends on the big blind |
Keep reading
Related pages
- Texas Hold’em in 90 seconds →How Texas Hold’em works at a Las Vegas poker table: visual hand ranks, streets, beginner strategy, and table.
- Poker blinds explained →Poker blinds explained for Las Vegas beginners: small blind, big blind, the button, how 1/2 stakes read, and.
- Poker rake explained →Poker rake in a Las Vegas poker room: how the house takes a fee from cash-game pots, caps,.
- How to read a poker room listing →Decode White Gambling poker fields: status, tables, stakes, series host, hours, and what still needs a desk check in.
Go play
Where to play in Las Vegas
Tap a resort — each row opens that casino’s White Gambling page (hours, poker status, floor facts). Print poker rooms, sorted by published table count.
Open a casino page
Real listings · not adsAfter the 90 seconds
Questions before and after you play
A 90-second guide cannot cover every table moment. Tap a group, then a question — answers are short paragraphs, not one-liners.
01Seats
What is position in poker?
Position is your seat relative to the dealer button. Players who act later see more of the action. Early position (UTG) acts first preflop. The button acts last after the flop. Blinds are forced bets in two of those seats — they are not a separate game.
What is the cutoff in poker?
The cutoff is the seat immediately to the right of the button. It is a late position: you have already heard most of the table before you act preflop, and you act after early seats after the flop. Names vary slightly with six-max vs full ring.
02On the floor
Do I need this to sit in a Las Vegas room?
You need blinds more urgently — that is the 1/2 sign. Position is the next glance so “I had the button” makes sense. Open a poker-room listing for hours and table counts. This page is not strategy advice to beat the rake.
03More questions people ask
Is position more important than cards?
Not more, but it changes the value of every hand. A medium hand like K-J loses money from early position for most players and wins money from the button, because acting last lets you control the pot size and bluff more effectively.
What is the hijack seat?
The hijack is the seat directly to the right of the cutoff, two seats before the button. It is the first of the late positions in a 9-handed game and opens a little tighter than the cutoff.
How many seats are at a poker table?
Live no-limit hold’em in most US card rooms uses 9 or 10 seats. Online tables are often 6-max, which makes every seat play more like a late position and widens opening ranges.
Why is the button the best position?
The button acts last on the flop, turn and river, so you see what everyone else does before deciding. That extra information lets you win more pots with weaker hands and lose less with marginal ones.
What does under the gun mean?
Under the gun (UTG) is the seat directly left of the big blind. It acts first before the flop, with the whole table still to act behind, so strong players open their tightest range there.
Do positions work the same in tournaments?
Yes. Position matters in cash games and tournaments alike, but in tournaments stack size and blind levels change how wide you open.
Where can I practice in Las Vegas?
The venue cards below show Las Vegas casinos with a live poker room in our data. Low-limit games such as $1/$2 no-limit are the usual place to start.
How do pot odds relate to position?
Position decides how often you can realize your equity; pot odds decide whether a call is profitable. The pot odds calculator on this site does the second part.
Sources
- Poker blinds explained (White Gambling) Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 14, 2026Companion glossary for forced bets. Position is seat order, not stake size.
- Nevada Gaming Control Board — gaming statistics (poker tables) · accessed Oct 14, 2026
- Nevada online poker — official regulator source. Poker only. MSIGA founding signatory. Two interactive licensees on the NGCB · accessed Oct 13, 2026Nevada: live for online poker.