If you're new to poker, you’ll hear phrases that may seem confusing at first. Perhaps you're already familiar with some terms such as "All In" or "winning hand”, since these phrases are commonly used for situations outside of poker. You're likely to be less familiar with more obscure gaming terms, like those related to poker table positions.

Knowing the poker positions and their names in a game like Texas Hold'em will be very helpful, whether you play online or in person. Learn to talk the talk and become comfortable with the different positions in poker and how to play based on which spot you hold during any given hand of Texas Hold'em.

Your position at the poker table dictates your specific role as a player during a particular hand. Every poker position comes with a different expectation. With each new round, your role moves one seat to the left while you take on the position that the player to your right previously held. At the start of a new hand, you won’t need to switch seats—you just take the new position.

To fully understand the importance of how poker positions play into betting, it's necessary to understand betting before and after the flop. Once the dealer has dealt cards, the players decide whether to put in a bet or fold based on the strength of the cards they hold. Once all bets at the table are equal, and each participant has either put their bets in or folded, the dealer deals out three new cards face-up, known as "the flop". These cards are community cards and can be used by each player to form their best hand.

It's the first of three occasions in which the dealer deals out cards for the entire table to use. Once the flop is out, each player then checks, bets or folds in order of their table position. The flop is then followed by the next round of betting, known as the "turn," which is only one additional community card. Lastly, after the turn, the "river" is dealt, which also consists of one additional community card.

The different positions in poker determine how and when it's best to place a bet, beginning with the small blind and the big blind spots, respectively. Blinds are minimum required bets that are defined before the game even starts. For example, a $1/$2 cash game means the small blind must put in a compulsory bet of $1 before dealing begins, and the big blind puts in a $2 forced bet ahead of the deal.

Small blind

The small blind (SB) is the first position at the poker table. When it's your turn to play this spot, you're required to place a bet that's typically half of the big blind's forced bet. Small blind and big blind compulsory betting amounts are determined before the start of the game.

Big blind

The big blind (BB) is the second poker table position, seated one spot to the left of the SB. Just as with the small blind, the player at the big blind position must place a mandatory wager—usually double the small blind bet—before dealing takes place.

Under the gun

The player in the under-the-gun or UTG position is directly to the left of the big blind and is the first to act.

Lojack

In a full nine-handed game, the middle positions begin with the Lojack spot. In a six-handed game, Lojack is technically UTG. Lojack is the position directly to the right of the hijack.

Hijack

Hijack is the position directly to the right of the cutoff. This is a middle position. The middle position is the sweet spot for many players.

Cutoff

In a nine-handed game, cutoff is the position directly to the right of the button. This is considered late-position.

Button

The final position is the button—also the dealer in an informal game of Hold'em. Many consider the button the best position to be in during a poker hand. Here’s why: you have the chance to observe all of the other players and how they respond to their deals, and have the best opportunity to intimidate the blind positions with a confident raise—and possibly get them to fold ahead of the flop.

Two terms commonly used during a hand of poker are "in position" and "out of position." Once the dealer has laid down the flop, position dynamics change.

In position (IP) and out of position (OOP)  spots bookend the arrangement at the poker table, with OOP indicating the earliest spot to take action and IP describing the last seat to make a move during a round of betting. 

Regardless of who folds in the first round, the SB becomes the OOP spot in later rounds. The blinds aren't considered out of position ahead of the flop, because their initial bets are mandatory, and they can't take any action until after the button. Early positions before the flop are the least advantageous, because the OOP players have to make decisions without having any information to speculate about other player's hands before taking action.

IP refers to the last player to take action after the flop. The IP spot is the most desirable seat in a poker hand, because this player is able to assess every other player's actions and use that information to help determine their next move.

The blinds, which fall outside of the opening acting positions, sit in the toughest spots. By the time betting makes its way back around to the small blind, they have a difficult choice to make. The bet has usually raised past the big blind by this time, and to stay in the game, the blinds have to place bets equal to the current bet.

In each hand of poker, your designated position has an enormous impact on when it's best to make your bet and how much to wager. Cautious players will play according to the expected moves for the position they occupy, while the more audacious will lay down unexpected bets to try to throw off other players. Whichever playstyle you follow, knowing the poker positions and the ways in which they work will help you understand how and when it's best to place your bets.