UTG

UTG is an abbreviation for “Under the Gun,” a term used in the game of poker to denote the first player to act in the betting round after the blinds have been posted. In both No‑Limit Texas Hold’em and Omaha, the UTG position is considered one of the most restrictive in a full‑ring game (nine or ten players at the table) because the player must act before everyone else. The name derives from the early days of poker when the dealer’s position was described as a “gun” in the sense of being ready to fire the hand. The UTG player must decide whether to open, raise, or fold based solely on the strength of their own two cards, without any information about the opponents’ actions.

Because of the limited information, hands that are played from UTG are typically stronger than those from later positions. Common starting hands for UTG play include high suited connectors (e.g., A♠K♠), high pairs (e.g., A♦A♣), and high suited aces (e.g., A♠Q♠). Players often use tight opening ranges to maintain positional advantage. The next two positions are called UTG+1 and UTG+2, respectively; each offers slightly more information than the UTG spot but remains strongly dominated by later positions.

In many circle‑and‑poker texts, UTG is discussed alongside other positions such as the Hijack, Cut‑off, and Button, forming a framework for describing strategic decisions based on relative table position. The term is also occasionally used colloquially to refer to any first‑move attacker in other competitive contexts, though its primary recognition remains within poker.