The Poker Table
A Hold’em table can have two players or as many as ten players, although this course uses a common six-player table. Before the cards are dealt, Hold’em uses two forced bets to put money in the pot. They are called blind bets because the players post them before seeing their cards. The player immediately left of the dealer button posts the smaller small blind (SB), and the next player posts the big blind (BB). Some poker games also use an ante from every player; we will explain blind and ante sizes in a later lesson. For now, use the dealer button as the table’s reference point.
What you will be able to do
- Explain why the small blind and big blind post chips before seeing their cards.
- Use the dealer button as the reference for every seat.
- Recognize that the button and positions move clockwise after each hand.
TABLE PRACTICE
Move the button, blinds and cards
This is a position-only demonstration, not a complete Hold’em hand. Start with the dealer button, then find the small blind and big blind—the two players who put chips in before seeing their cards. After the hole cards are dealt, we deliberately skip all betting and community cards so you can watch every position move to the next hand. The next lesson plays through the full sequence.
THE SIX-MAX SEAT MAP
Learn the names before using the table
Moving clockwise from the Button: BTN → SB → BB → UTG → HJ → CO → back to BTN.
- BTNButtonThe seat with the dealer button. After the flop it usually acts last when still in the hand.
- SBSmall BlindImmediately left of BTN. Posts the smaller blind before seeing any cards.
- BBBig BlindImmediately left of SB. Posts 1 BB and has the final preflop option when nobody raises.
- UTGUnder the GunImmediately left of BB. Acts first preflop at a six-player table.
- HJHijackBetween UTG and CO, with two seats remaining before BTN.
- COCutoffImmediately right of BTN and acts directly before it.
This course uses six players. Larger tables add seats such as the Lojack (LJ), commonly between the early positions and the Hijack.
ANSWER ON THE TABLE
1 / 3
Who acts first preflop at this six-player table?
Select the seat on the table.
Available actions
Action history
- No actions yet.
ONE THING TO REMEMBER
The dealer button does not necessarily identify the person physically dealing cards; it is the positional marker used to organize the hand.
TRY IT
This is a 1-question test. Start when you are ready.
Takeaway
The dealer button organizes the positions. The blinds sit immediately to its left, and all three markers move clockwise for the next hand.