What is Positions in Poker Terms?

In poker, “position” refers to a player’s seating arrangement relative to the dealer button during a hand. The dealer button rotates clockwise around the table after each hand, ensuring each player takes turns acting as the dealer.

The positions at the poker table are typically categorized as follows:

Early Positions (EP)

• These positions include Under The Gun (UTG), UTG+1, and UTG+2, located to the left of the big blind.
• Players in early positions are the first to act before the flop and after the blinds post-flop, making their betting decisions without knowing how others will act.

Middle Positions (MP)

• This category encompasses seats between the Early and Late Positions, such as MP, Lo-Jack, and Hi-Jack.
• These players have more information than early positions but less than late positions, having seen the actions of early position players but not yet those of later position players.

Late Positions (LP)

• Late Positions include the Cutoff (CO) and Button/Dealer (BTN)
• Players in these positions act last in each betting round, granting them an informational advantage.

Small Blind (SB)

• Positioned to the left of the dealer button
• SB posts a small forced bet, typically half the size of the big blind, and acts first post-flop.

Big Blind (BB)

• Positioned to the left of the small blind
• BB posts a larger forced bet, usually equal to the minimum bet for the hand.
• The big blind acts last in the pre-flop betting round and after the small blind in post-flop betting rounds.

Players in late positions enjoy the advantage of acting last, enabling them to make more informed decisions based on opponents’ actions. Conversely, those in early positions possess less information and must proceed cautiously when playing hands.