Out of Position
Out of position (OOP) means you must act before your opponent on each postflop street, which gives them extra information and makes your decisions harder.
Being out of position (OOP) means you act before your opponent on the flop, turn and river. You must make each decision without knowing what they will do. The blinds are the most common out-of-position seats: if the big blind calls a raise from the button, the big blind is OOP for the rest of the hand. The opposite is being in position.
Why playing OOP is harder
- Less information: you have to commit first, and your opponent reacts with your choice already known.
- No free cards on demand: if you check with a draw, your opponent decides whether you see the next card for free.
- Harder pot control: if you check, they can bet; if you bet, they can raise.
- Bluffs are easier to call: your opponent can use position to float and take the pot away later.
Over many hands, these disadvantages mean you typically win less with the same hand out of position than you would in position.
Example hand
Blinds 1/2. The button raises to 5 and you call from the big blind with A♣ 8♣. The flop is A♥ 9♦ 4♠, so you have top pair with a weak kicker. You check, the button bets 4, and you call. The turn is the K♦. You check again and the button bets 12.
Now you face the classic OOP problem. Your opponent could hold A-K, A-Q or A-9, all of which beat you, or they could be barreling with a draw like Q-10 or J-10. If you call, you will again act first on the river without knowing whether they will bet. Planning ahead matters: deciding on the flop how you will handle different turns and rivers keeps you from making emotional calls.
Strategies for playing out of position
- Play fewer hands from OOP seats: tighten your calling range from the blinds and early seats, and prefer 3-betting over calling when your hand is strong.
- Use the check-raise: it is the out-of-position player's best weapon, letting you build pots with strong hands and semi-bluff draws.
- Check often, but not passively: checking a range that includes strong hands protects you from being bluffed off every pot.
- Lead on boards that favor you: on low, connected boards where your range is stronger, a lead (sometimes called a donk bet) can be correct.
- Keep the pot manageable with medium hands: one-pair hands often play best as check-calls rather than bets that get raised.
Common mistakes
Beginners often call too many raises from the small blind and big blind because the price looks cheap, then lose small pots repeatedly by checking and folding on the flop. Another mistake is betting every draw first, which lets a position player raise and take away your equity.
Frequently asked questions
What does OOP mean in poker?
OOP stands for out of position, meaning you act before your opponent on the flop, turn and river.
Which positions are usually out of position?
The small blind and big blind are out of position against almost everyone after the flop, and early seats are out of position against later seats.
How do I play better out of position?
Play a tighter range, prefer raising to calling preflop with strong hands, and use check-raises to balance your checks.
Related poker terms
- In Position — In position (IP) means you act after your opponent on each postflop street. You see their decision first, which makes every choice easier.
- Check-Raise — A check-raise is checking to an opponent and then raising after they bet in the same round. It's a strong play for value or as a bluff.
- Big Blind — The big blind is the larger forced bet posted two seats left of the button before the deal. It sets the minimum bet and is the last to act preflop.
- Small Blind — The small blind is the forced bet posted by the player directly left of the button, usually half the big blind. It's also the name of that seat.
- Donk Bet — A donk bet is a bet made out of position into the player who had the betting lead on the previous street, before that player gets a chance to act.
- Position — Position in poker is where you sit relative to the button, which decides when you act. Acting later gives you more information and more control.