Poker glossary
Cutoff
The seat directly to the right of the button.
Also: CO
The cutoff (CO) is the seat directly to the right of the button. It’s the second-best seat at the table, after the button.
Where is the cutoff?
Around a 6-handed table, in preflop betting order: under the gun (UTG), hijack (HJ), cutoff (CO), button (BTN), small blind (SB), big blind (BB). At a 9-handed table there are more early seats before the hijack, but the cutoff is always the seat just before the button.
Why it’s called the cutoff
The usual explanation: by raising first, the cutoff “cuts off” the button, taking away its chance to open the pot and often making it fold.
Why the cutoff is a strong seat
- Late position. If the button folds, the cutoff acts last on every street after the flop.
- Few players behind. Only the button and the two blinds can still wake up with a big hand.
- A good seat to steal the blinds when everyone folds to you.
How many hands to play from the cutoff
Far more than from early seats. Our 6-max cash game chart opens about 24% of hands from the cutoff: every pocket pair, every suited ace, most suited broadway cards, some suited connectors and the stronger offsuit broadway hands. See it in the preflop charts and six-max preflop charts by seat.
Lesson: position in poker.