PokerzinIn poker, the order in which you act matters almost as much as your cards. Whoever acts last sees what everyone did before deciding. Whoever acts first decides in the dark. This advantage repeats in every betting round of the hand, and that's why experienced players play many more hands from some seats than from others.
The positions at a 6-handed table
Positions are counted from the button, which moves one seat per hand. At a six-seat table, like Pokerzin's, they are, in the order they act preflop:
| Position | Where it is | How to play it |
|---|---|---|
| UTG ("under the gun") | First to act, right after the big blind | Only the strongest hands: five players still act after you |
| HJ (hijack) | Second to act | A little looser than UTG |
| CO (cutoff) | To the right of the button | You can open many more hands |
| BTN (button) | The dealer for the hand | The best position: acts last from the flop on |
| SB (small blind) | To the left of the button | Has already paid half a bet, but acts first for the rest of the hand |
| BB (big blind) | To the left of the small blind | Last preflop, but out of position afterwards |
What position gives you
- Information. If everyone checked to you, the chance that someone has a strong hand is lower. If someone bet big, you know it before putting in a chip.
- Pot control. With a medium hand, you can check behind and see the next card for free. With a strong hand, you can bet to grow the pot.
- Cheaper bluffs. When everyone checks to you, a small bet often takes the pot.
- The last word on the river. It's the round with the biggest bets, and whoever acts last decides knowing what the other player did.
How to adjust your hands
The practical rule: the closer to the button, the more hands you can play. A hand like K-J, for example, is an easy fold UTG, where someone behind may have A-K or K-Q, and a comfortable raise on the button when everyone has folded. For a list of hands by position, see Starting hands.
The blinds are the positions where everyone loses chips in the long run, even good players: you pay before seeing your cards and play the rest of the hand acting first. The goal there is to lose as little as possible, not to win.
An example
Everyone folds to the cutoff, who raises. You are on the button with 8♠ 7♠. From UTG, this hand would be a fold. Here, calling is reasonable: you will play the flop against a single opponent, acting after them on every street. If they check the flop, you can bet to take the pot. If they bet and the flop didn't help you, folding costs little.
The same suited 8-7, played from the small blind against the same raise, is another story: you act first on every street and can still be surprised by the big blind behind you.