Hijack
The hijack is the seat two places to the right of the button, immediately before the cutoff. In a six-handed game it is the third player to act before the flop, after the under the gun player. It is usually written HJ.
The simple explanation
After the blinds, the order of action before the flop goes: under the gun, hijack, cutoff, button, small blind, big blind in a 6-max game. The name is often explained by the idea that a player there can 'hijack' the steal from the cutoff and the button by raising before them. It is a position where you can play many more hands than from early position.
A closer look
The hijack is generally the first seat at which a fairly wide raising range is correct, since only four players (the cutoff, the button and the two blinds) remain to act behind you. The hand range widens at each seat toward the button. In full ring games, the seat before the hijack is called the lojack.
A practical example
In a six-handed game, the under the gun player folds and the hijack raises to 6 with ace-queen.
Full explanation
The hijack is the seat two places to the right of the button, immediately before the cutoff. In a six-handed game it is the third player to act before the flop, after the under the gun player. It is usually written HJ.
The hijack is the position two seats to the right of the button, before the cutoff.
It is written HJ.
In six-max play it is the second seat after the blinds.
From there you can raise with more hands than from earlier seats.
Alternative spelling: hi-jack, HJ
The hijack
No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake
The blinds are posted. Players are shown clockwise from the button. Chip amounts are used throughout.
Read the example transcript
- Preflop · Pot: 3 chips
The blinds are posted. Players are shown clockwise from the button. Chip amounts are used throughout.
- Player A BTN AAce of hearts (Ah)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
- Player B SB 77 of clubs (7c)22 of diamonds (2d) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player C BB 1010 of diamonds (Td)99 of spades (9s) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Player D UTG QQueen of clubs (Qc)JJack of clubs (Jc) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
- Player E HJ AAce of spades (As)QQueen of diamonds (Qd) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
- Player F CO 88 of hearts (8h)88 of diamonds (8d) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
- Preflop · Pot: 3 chips
The player under the gun folds.
- Player A BTN AAce of hearts (Ah)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
- Player B SB 77 of clubs (7c)22 of diamonds (2d) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player C BB 1010 of diamonds (Td)99 of spades (9s) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Player D UTG QQueen of clubs (Qc)JJack of clubs (Jc) · Stack 200 · In this round 0 · Folded
- Player E HJ AAce of spades (As)QQueen of diamonds (Qd) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
- Player F CO 88 of hearts (8h)88 of diamonds (8d) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
- Preflop · Pot: 9 chips
Player E sits in the hijack, two seats to the right of the button. The hijack raises to 6.
- Player A BTN AAce of hearts (Ah)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
- Player B SB 77 of clubs (7c)22 of diamonds (2d) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player C BB 1010 of diamonds (Td)99 of spades (9s) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Player D UTG QQueen of clubs (Qc)JJack of clubs (Jc) · Stack 200 · In this round 0 · Folded
- Player E HJ AAce of spades (As)QQueen of diamonds (Qd) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player F CO 88 of hearts (8h)88 of diamonds (8d) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.