The Button, often referred to as the “dealer button,” is a physical disk used in poker games to indicate the nominal dealer position for the current hand. This position is crucial as it determines the order of action, with the player on the Button being the last to act in all post-flop betting rounds (flop, turn, and river). After each hand is completed, the Button moves clockwise to the next active player, ensuring everyone eventually gets to play from this advantageous position.
Example
Imagine a 6-player No-Limit Hold’em game. Player A is on the Button. To Player A’s left are Player B (Small Blind) and Player C (Big Blind). Pre-flop, the action starts with the player to the left of the Big Blind, continuing clockwise around the table until it reaches Player A, then Player B, and finally Player C. However, once the flop is dealt, the betting order changes: Player B (Small Blind) acts first, followed by Player C (Big Blind), and then the action continues clockwise, ending with Player A (the Button). This means Player A gets to see everyone else’s actions before making their final decision on that street.
Strategy Tip
Playing from the Button is considered the most powerful position in poker due to the advantage of acting last post-flop. This allows you to observe how all other players act before you need to make your own decision, providing invaluable information. From the Button, you can often play a wider range of hands, as you have the flexibility to make light steals of the blinds (betting to force the blinds to fold), make continuation bets with less strong hands, or control the pot size more effectively. Leverage this position to apply pressure to your opponents, especially those in the blinds who are forced to act out of position on subsequent streets, and to extract maximum value when you have a strong hand.
FAQ
- Q: Why is it called the “dealer button” if I’m not the actual dealer?
- A: In casino or cardroom settings, there’s usually a professional dealer who handles the cards. However, the Button still designates the player who would be dealing in a home game and, more importantly, dictates the betting order. The player on the Button receives the significant strategic advantage of acting last in most betting rounds.
- Q: Does the Button always act last?
- A: Not always pre-flop. Pre-flop, the Small Blind and Big Blind act after the Button. However, on all subsequent streets (flop, turn, and river), the player on the Button is indeed the very last to act in the betting round. This post-flop positional advantage is what makes the Button so powerful.
- Q: How does the Button relate to the Blinds?
- A: The Small Blind position is always immediately to the left of the Button, and the Big Blind position is immediately to the left of the Small Blind. These three positions rotate clockwise around the table together after each hand, maintaining their relative order. The blinds are forced bets that must be posted by these players before the hand begins.