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How the position map changes with table size

Early position isn't a fixed thing — it's however many seats act before you, and short tables barely have any.

 4-HANDED  — no early position exists
     [BTN] [SB] [BB] [UTG=CO]        every seat is "late-ish"

 8-HANDED  — the standard shape
     [UTG] [UTG+1] [MP] [HJ] [CO] [BTN] [SB] [BB]
      \____early____/  \_mid_/  \_late_/  \_blinds_/

12-HANDED — early position swallows the table
     [UTG] [+1] [+2] [+3] [+4] [MP] [MP2] [HJ] [CO] [BTN] [SB] [BB]
      \___________early___________/  \_mid_/  \_late_/  \_blinds_/

At four-handed, five of the six ♣ CLUB seat rules collapse — there's no mud to sit in. At twelve-handed, you'll spend most of your session in early position, which is precisely why you fold most of your session.