Easily Confused

If I'm sitting at a nine player hold'em table, and the dealer button is in seat one, I understand the three seats to the left of the BB, seats 4, 5, and 6 are considered early position. Then I'm to assume seats 7, 8, and 9 are middle position, which would make the dealer button, the SB, and the BB late position??? I thought the SB and BB were early position. Can someone clarify this for me (I understand after the flop the SB and BB would be early position). But when the poker books talk about hands to play, what's considered late position? Thanks for your help.

This should be a good guide for you to use.


Seat 1 (Button): late position

Seat 2 (small blind): early position*

Seat 3 (big blind): early position*

Seat 4: early position

Seat 5: early position

Seat 6: early position

Seat 7: middle position

Seat 8: middle position

Seat 9 (cutoff): late position


* The two blinds are normally considered seperately from early positions since they act last on the first round but first on all the subsequent rounds.

"* The two blinds are normally considered seperately from early positions since they act last on the first round but first on all the subsequent rounds."


So are the two blinds, for pre-flop decisions, considered late position?

No, they are unique.


Specifically, you can play more hands in your blinds than any other position since it costs you less to call a bet or raise.