The cutoff is one of the most advantageous positions at the poker table. The name is assigned to the position to the right of the dealer button, strategically one of the best positions to be in. If you are already familiar with poker terms like the dealer button, small blind, big blind, and hijack, keep reading and find out the cutoff poker meaning, how it differs from these positions, or check out our detailed guides to each of the other positions at the poker table.
What Is the Cutoff Position in Poker?
The cutoff is the name for the poker position to the right of the dealer. Since poker action follows a clockwise pattern, starting with under the gun (UTG), cutoff gets to act right before the dealer and the blinds, thus giving it a great opportunity to steal the blinds before the flop and take the aggressive action away from the dealer.
In fact, it is often said that the name “cutoff” comes from the fact that this position comes right before the dealer, thus giving it the opportunity to cut off the dealer and preemptively raise before the dealer does. A different theory says the name comes from the fact that the player to the right of the dealer used to be the one cutting the cards, back in the day when players dealt their own cards.
In either case, wherever the name comes from, the cutoff position is easily one of the best positions at the table, and one that you should master if you want to be successful in poker, as the right strategy in this position requires you to play many hands in an aggressive manner.
The importance of the cutoff differs slightly between six-handed and full-ring games. In a nine-handed game, five players act before the cutoff preflop, while in a six-max game only two do. In both formats, however, only the button and the two blinds remain to act behind the cutoff, making it one of the strongest positions at the table.
Which Poker Games Use the Cutoff
We know that poker is a wide term that encompasses dozens of different games, from Texas Hold’em to Seven Card Stud, Draw Poker, and many others. It is important to understand that the term cutoff is only used in games that have a small blind and a big blind, such as Limit and No Limit Texas Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha, Big O, 2-7 Triple Draw, and such.
Games that don’t use blind bets, such as Seven Card Stud, Razz, and Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo, don’t use the same positional nomenclature. The order of action is determined by the players’ exposed cards and changes during the hand, so fixed positions such as the cutoff and button do not apply in the same way. Thus, you can’t know which player will act first or last before the initial three cards are dealt. You can try all of these different games at Phenom Poker, which offers one of the widest selections of poker variants online, and take advantage of its ongoing promotions along the way.
In games that do have a cutoff, it is one of the most advantageous positions, and one that allows you to open a wide range of hands, play aggressively on later betting rounds, and win more pots than you could if you were playing from early positions or the blinds.
Preflop Cutoff Strategy
In games like No Limit Texas Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha, the cutoff is an extremely strong position. By starting a hand in this position, you will have a chance to win many pots uncontested, especially if you are the first player into the pot.
If all players fold to you, you will get to open a very wide range of hands. In a traditional full-ring NLH game, you can open as many as 32% of all hands from the cutoff if you are first into the pot, meaning you can play a third of all the cards you are dealt.
This changes dramatically if another player raises in front of you, which will often be the case. The ranges shrink when you are not the opener, but the cutoff still gives you a lot of opportunities. You can put in a 3-bet with all your strong hands, like AA, KK, QQ, and AK, as well as some weaker value hands, depending on the original raiser’s position and their table image. You can also re-raise with a variety of bluffs, such as A2s – A5s, or a hand like J9s, in order to balance your range and keep your opponents guessing.
The cutoff is also a powerful position when you face a raise and a call in front of you. Your positional advantage can allow you to make a squeeze play with both value hands and selected bluffs, applying pressure to both the original raiser and the caller and potentially winning the pot before the flop.
Keep in mind that you will often face aggression from the dealer button and the blinds when you do raise from the cutoff. In this case, always consider your positional advantage against the blinds and your positional disadvantage against the dealer in choosing how to proceed with your hands.
Each poker game is different, and the player composition makes a huge difference. However, having a position is universally considered to be a great advantage, whether you are playing in your local poker club, at the World Series of Poker, or in an online game at sites like CoinPoker, BCPoker, or WPT Global.
Postflop Cutoff Strategy
Playing from the cutoff in poker doesn’t just give you an advantage before the flop, but also on every street that comes after. If you are not successful in stealing the blinds with your preflop aggression, consider some of the following tips for your postflop game:
- C-Bet Often: After raising preflop, consider firing a continuation bet (c-bet) frequently on boards that favor your range. As the preflop aggressor, you will often retain an uncapped range that includes the strongest starting hands, but your c-bet frequency should still depend on the board texture and your opponent’s range.
- Keep the Initiative: Maintaining the initiative and staying aggressive is key to winning many pots in No Limit Hold’em. After the c-bet, look for good opportunities to stay aggressive on later streets. Continue with your bluffs when the turn or river favors your range, improves your equity, or puts pressure on your opponent’s holdings, but be prepared to give up when the situation calls for it.
- Control Pot Size: Whenever you make a reasonably strong hand, such as the second pair, you can exercise pot control by checking back on the turn, keeping the pot size in check. Positions like button and cutoff in poker are especially strong because they allow you to control the pot size in many situations.
Cutoff vs Button vs Hijack
Cutoff is one of the most advantageous positions at the poker table, and together with the hijack and the button, it makes up what’s known as “late positions.”
While being in the cutoff to start the hand is good, nothing quite beats holding the dealer button in games like Texas Hold’em. The button gives you ultimate position, allowing you to raise with more hands, put the squeeze play on with the widest range, and steal the blinds relentlessly in tournament poker.
The hijack, on the other hand, is a slightly less advantageous position than the cutoff, but still a strong one. Yet, with another in-position player to worry about, playing in the hijack is a bit trickier and requires slightly more patience.
The chart below demonstrates the typical opening range you should be playing from the cutoff in a 6-max cash game at 100 big blinds deep. When playing from the dealer button, the range expands even further, covering a majority of all suited hands, along with a variety of off-suit connectors.
On the other hand, this range should be slightly condensed when playing from the hijack, as another player to act behind you means you don’t get to open quite as relentlessly as you would from the cutoff.
Here is a quick look at some of the most important facts about playing from the hijack, cutoff, and button, and a quick comparison of the opening ranges, frequencies, and risks involved with each:
| Factor | Hijack (HJ) | Cutoff (CO) | Button (BTN) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Players to Act | CO, BTN, SB, BB | BTN, SB, BB | SB, BB |
| RFI Range in 6-Max | 19 – 22% | 25 – 30% | 40 – 45% |
| Steal Frequency | Moderate | High | Very High |
| 3-Bet Risk | Moderate | Moderate | Low |
| C-Betting Opportunities | Moderate | High | Very High |
| Fold Equity | High | Very High | Extra High |
| Common Mistake | Playing too Wide | Not Playing Wide Enough | Not Adjusting to the Blinds |
Putting It All Together
Now that you know what is the cutoff in poker, you can start thinking more about the particular strategies to apply when playing from this position. We have looked at some of the most popular strategies used in preflop and postflop play, and some cutoff hands that make sense to play, but there is a lot more to learn about playing from one of the best positions in poker.
Before taking things to the next level, we recommend checking out some of the best poker training courses, where you can learn more about the specifics of playing in different poker positions. If you need more help figuring out which training course is best for you, or where to play your next poker session, feel free to reach out to our customer support agents, who will be happy to help you out.
