The periodic table is a collection of elements that is arranged based on their atomic number (the number of protons), its atomic weight (protons + neutrons I believe), and its chemical symbol. Now usually for the low ranking numbers, you can easily identify them based on their atomic number, since everyone knows that 1 is hydrogen, 2 is helium, and it goes on from there.
But to guess an element based on its position is actually basing it off its column position. There are 18 columns. You can't exactly predict the exact element, but its properties through these columns
Column 1 is alkali metals (excluding hydrogen)
Column 2 is alkaline metals
Columns 3-12 are transition metals
Column 17 are halogens
Column 18 are noble gasses
Columns 13-16 are a mix of metalloids, nonmetals, and other metals
