Reading a three-handed table

Three seats, three names: the button (BTN), the small blind (SB) and the big blind (BB). The button moves one seat to the left after every hand, so everyone plays each seat in turn.

The two blinds put money in before the cards are dealt: half a blind for the SB, a full blind for the BB. The button posts nothing.

Who acts first

Preflop, the button acts first, then the small blind, then the big blind. The big blind closes the action: it is the last to speak, and it can check if nobody raised.

After the flop, the order changes: the small blind acts first, then the big blind, and the button acts last on every street.

Being in position

A player who acts after the others is in position: they see what everyone did before deciding. The button is in position against both blinds on every street after the flop. That is why it is the best seat at the table, and why we play many more hands from it.

When the button folds preflop, the small blind and big blind play blind versus blind. The small blind acts first postflop and is out of position for the whole hand.

Heads-up, with only two players left, the button posts the small blind: it acts first preflop and last postflop.