Position question

I have been reading this book "52 Tips for Texas Hold'em", and in its universal "Tip 5" - "Your position is of vital importance in deciding whether to open the pot".

Now this is where I don't get it:
"Very few hands should be played from early position, which can be classified as the first three seats in a 10-handed game". What first 3, to the left of the Dealer or to the left of the Big Blind? I did a bit of searching and couldn't find a consistent definition of what first, second and third seats are, nor the exact definition of "early position" (does "early position" include Small and Big Blinds?).

If the author of the book refers to the first 3 seats to the left of the big blind, do I take the specific advice for early position play for Small and Big Blind positions also?

Many thanks

EP does not include the blinds. At a nine handed table it's generally UTG and UTG+1.

If your out of position this is talking about the BB SB and UTG i think

UTG is first to act pre-flop, this is to the left of the BB.
after the flop the SB is first to act.
your postion improves the later you are to act, with the button being the best position.
there is also 'relative' position.
for instance,
you raise utg and all fold to the blinds.
if any of the blinds call, you have position after the flop (you are last to act).
generally, playing in position allows you to steal more
eg continuation bets.
also it is easier to control pot size when you have position.
when you are out of position its harder to get max value from your good hands.
there are other things too.
In general playing 'in' position is better than playing a hand 'out' of position,
because you have more information on which to base your decisions.

I think if you are asking this question, then you should take the more conservative advice and play less in UTG, UTG+1, and MP positions.

Yes these are better positions than the blinds after the flop but you have to get to the flop in the first place. by playing pre-flop in early position you leave yourself open to getting raised preflop and thus not getting a chance to see the flop. Once you do see the flop chances are you will not have good position as often as you would if you had better starting position.

Could you play more hands in early position and treat the position better than the blinds? Yes, but I think this would require a lot of attention and work on balancing your hand ranges, playing against villains who recognize this, bet sizing, and having superior post flop skills. For me I don't have any of these and if you are asking this question I would assume neither do you. (please dont take this the wrong way I am not trying to be snarky just honest )

For me I have found that playing when you have position pre and post flop is really the best way to go. This means playing in Btn, Co, and Hj seats most often. If you are not sure if you will have position then generally play more tight and aggressive.

Perhaps try once you feel comfortable playing in HJ and you have a good range try opening up your range in MP+1 a little.... then after a few hundred thousand hands if you feel good keep moving down towards UTG.

UTG ("under the gun") is the first position to the left of BB
UTG+1 obv. the next one... & so on.. & so on.

'Basically' you want to open with fewer hands in 'early position' on a 9-10seat table (ie. AJ would be a fold)

I wish I was disciplined enough to fold A,J UTG.

On another note, not trying to hijack here, when do you ever open A,J UTG PO? Like never?

Generally referring to UTG, UTG+1 and MP at a 9 handed table. It doesn't include blinds as you know all the action that has happened before you as well as getting a better price to call. Basically premiums are opening from first 3 to act pre-flop, from there on in throw some other stuff into your calling/raising range and SB/BB depends on the action leading up to you but you can generally play a wider range.

Basically to answer your question in fewer words it's referring to the first three to act pre-flop when it talks about first 3 seats.

Like 'no'... not 'never'. Like 'it depends' lol.
Easier to describe when I'm folding it > EP on full ring table. EP in early levels of MTT or SNG. At other times it's obviously 'the nuts' & I'm willing to play for stacks ('it depends' lol).

open AJ (and worse) UTG when shortstacked or deepstacked