Position

Your seat relative to the button — fundamental in poker

Definition

Position refers to your seat at the table relative to the button (BTN). Playing in position (IP = In Position) means acting last postflop, which is a considerable informational advantage: you see your opponents' actions before making your decision. Positions split into early position (UTG in 6-max; UTG, UTG+1, UTG+2 in full ring), middle position (HJ, CO) and late position (BTN), with the blinds (SB, BB) acting afterward. The later your position, the more hands you can play profitably, because you'll have the advantage of acting after your opponents on every street. Position directly shapes range construction: BTN opens ~45% of hands, UTG only ~15%. That difference reflects the edge of playing IP postflop. Postflop, playing OOP (Out Of Position) is such a disadvantage that it can justify folding hands that would be profitable in isolation. That's why position must be built into preflop ranges from the start.