Being in position means acting after an opponent on the current street. You can see their action before making your own choice.
The button and blinds
The button marks the nominal dealer. At a table with three or more players, the next seat clockwise is the small blind, followed by the big blind. Preflop action normally begins with the next player after the big blind.
Why action changes after the flop
Postflop action starts with the first remaining player clockwise from the button. The button acts last if still in the hand. A blind can act late preflop but early after the flop.
A six-player example
In clockwise order: button → small blind → big blind → under the gun → hijack → cutoff → back to button. Preflop starts under the gun. Postflop starts with the small blind if that player remains.
What do UTG, HJ, CO, BTN, SB and BB mean?
UTG is under the gun, the first player to act preflop in this six-player example. HJ is hijack; CO is cutoff, one seat before the button; BTN is the dealer button. SB and BB are the small blind and big blind.
The heads-up exception
With two players, the button posts the small blind and acts first preflop. The big blind acts first on the flop, turn and river. The button therefore retains the postflop information advantage.
Does late position mean you should play every hand?
No. It changes the information available and the number of players left to act. Hand, stack, ranges and game structure still matter. A position label alone is not a complete strategy.
Rule reference: Texas Hold’em rules.
Practise opening hands by position →