The dealer button in poker: what it is and who acts first

Why the button matters

In a casino a croupier deals and online the software does, but the order of action is still tied to a “dealer”. The button shows who that is this hand: the small and big blind sit to its left, and the player on the button acts last after the flop — the best seat at the table.

Who acts first

Tap a seat and switch the order of action:

• Preflop the player left of the big blind (UTG) acts first and the big blind acts last.
• On the flop, turn and river the first active player left of the button acts first and the button acts last.
• Heads-up is different: the button posts the small blind and acts first preflop. More in heads-up.

How the button moves

After every hand the button passes to the next player clockwise, and the blinds move with it. In one orbit each player sits on the button once and pays the small and big blind once.

The dead button

If the player due the button or the big blind busts from a tournament, the button is sometimes left on the empty seat. That is a dead button: nobody pays the blinds twice or skips them. The exact rule depends on the organiser; online it is all automatic.