What Does Orbit Mean in Poker?
In poker, an ‘orbit’ refers to a complete rotation of the dealer button around the table, during which each player has had the opportunity to play in every position once.
When You Might Hear Or Use The Term Orbit
This term is often mentioned in conversations about table dynamics or when discussing how long a player has been at a table, as in “I’ve been here for a couple of orbits now.”
In-Game Example
Imagine you’re playing in a 9-handed game. An orbit is completed when the dealer button moves from your starting seat and returns to you, allowing each player to play from each position once.
Strategy / Tips
- Best Practice: Use the concept of an orbit to track blind levels and position awareness, making strategic decisions based on your position.
- Common Mistake: Ignoring the significance of position changes throughout an orbit, leading to suboptimal play.
- Pro Tips: Advanced players use orbits to gather reads on opponents and adjust strategies as they learn tendencies from different positions.
- Differences playing over the table vs online: Online play often involves faster orbits, requiring quicker adaptation to changing positions and dynamics.
Alternative names
There aren’t commonly used alternative names for an orbit in poker.
FAQs
- Q: How long is an orbit in a poker game?
A: An orbit is the time taken for the dealer button to move around the entire table once, allowing each player to play every position. - Q: Why is understanding orbits important?
A: Knowing your position relative to the dealer button can help you make more strategic decisions based on positional advantage.
Related terms
- dealer button
- position
- blinds
