Posts Tagged big blind
Options for the Small Blind and Big Blind
Posted by WSOP in Texas Holdem FAQ on September 30th, 2008
Hello,
There are some things that have been bothering my mind for some time now. Hope you can help me out.
- Say in a $3/5 limit game, small blind puts in $1 and big blind puts in $3. Then the next to act is the person to the left of the big blind. What do you think, does he need to bet or check? By the way, the person being talked about here is in the “under the gun” position.
- How about if the person bets $3 and there are calls all the way around. Do you think the small blind has to call $3? Or else just have to call $2 for getting a credit for his $1 small blind ante? How about for the big blind? I guess it will be the same thing.
Thanks!
Michael James
Michael,
- The blinds are forced bets and therefore each player at the table must at least call the $3 big blind in order to stay in the pot. The under the gun player’s only options are to call or raise. They cannot check.
- The small blind only has to complete the big blind bet of $3. If the pot is not raised by the time action is back on the big blind, the big blind can either check or raise.
Clueless About How Blinds Work
Posted by WSOP in Texas Holdem FAQ on September 30th, 2008
Hi,
I don’t know how blinds actually work in a head to head game. Can you explain it to me please?
How about the non-dealer, will it be just the small blind? Then the dealer the big blind?
Thank you!
Ross
Ross,
Heads up poker is a little different than normal poker games. The button is actually the small blind. Heads-up, the button is the first to act preflop. The rest of the hand, the button is last to act.
Betting Side of the Game
Posted by WSOP in Texas Holdem FAQ on September 30th, 2008
Hi,
Your site has been a great help. Thanks!
I am a regular visitor of your site actually, but still, I have some questions in mind that up to now were not yet answered.
Can you explain to me the betting side of the game? What are the important things I need to know about it? It seems quite confusing to me.
Alexzander
Alexzander,
Before each hand, the two players to the left of the button put up forced bets known as blinds. The first player puts up a small blind, and the second player puts up a big blind. The small blind is half the size of the big blind. In a $1-$2 blind No Limit Holdem game, the small blind is $1 and the big blind $2.
The first player after the big blind is the under the gun position and has the option to either call, raise, or fold. If they raise, they must raise at least the size of the big blind. The same decision is faced by each person until the action returns around to the blind. If nobody has raised the pot, the small blind may either call the big blind, raise, or fold. If the small blind does not raise, the big blind then has the option to either raise or check.
When choosing to raise the pot, a standard raise is considered to be 3 and one half times the big blind. You do have the option of raising up to the total amount in your stack.
In Heads Up Play
Posted by WSOP in Texas Holdem FAQ on September 30th, 2008
Hello there!
I’m wondering, in heads up play, does the big blind shift to the person without the button? In online events, I noticed that when it comes down to heads up, the dealer suddenly doesn’t post the big blind, but just the little or small blind instead.
I’m troubled and clueless.
Theodore
Theodore,
In heads-up poker, the button posts the small blind. Preflop, the button is the first to act. The button is then last to act on all streets.
Be the Big Blind
Posted by WSOP in Texas Holdem FAQ on September 30th, 2008
Hello,
I’m wondering if in spread games, is it possible to be the big blind though I don’t have sufficient money to put it up? Say I have $500, but the big blind is actually $1000. What do you think?
Should I just leave the table as I cannot buy-in? If so, what will happen with my $500?
Thank you. Nice site!
Wesley
Wesley,
Regardless of cash game or tournament, if you have $500 and the big blind is $1,000, then you will be all-in for $500. The most you can win from each opponent will be $500.
If you leave the table in the middle of a tournament and you are all-in for $500 in the blind, your hand will be mucked and you will be eliminated from the tournament.
If you are in a cash game, and decide to leave before the hand is dealt, you can take your $500 with you.
Betting After the Flop
Posted by WSOP in Texas Holdem FAQ on September 30th, 2008
I’m confused about the order of betting after the flop. Do you have an idea about it? Should it start with the first person to the left of the dealer or otherwise with the first person to the left of the big blind?
Thanks in advance.
Nathen
Nathen,
After the flop, the person to the left of the dealer button is the first person with the option to bet.
In a 10/20 Game
Posted by WSOP in Texas Holdem FAQ on September 30th, 2008
Hello,
For an instance you are playing a 10/20 game. How much do you think a person in the small should pay? 5? Is it half of the smaller number or what?
How about the big blind, should he pay 10? Just equal to whatever the small or first number is? Then say the cards are dealt. Should the first person who is said to be “under the gun” call for at least 10 or else 20?
About the 2nd number what does it stands for? Any idea?
Thank you.
Mitchell
Mitchell,
What you are explaining is a Limit Holdem game with betting levels of 10 and 20. Preflop and on the flop, betting limits are $10, and betting on the turn and river is $20. In this game, the small blind is half of the small bet amount. In this case, the small blind is $5. The big blind is $10. The under the gun player must either call $10, raise to $20, or fold.
Sufficient Chips for the Blinds
Posted by WSOP in Texas Holdem FAQ on September 30th, 2008
Hey there!
In a no limit event, can you play the next hand in case you don’t have sufficient chips for either the big or small blind? I’m confused.
Any advice? Please help me.
Thank you.
Marshall
Marshall,
If you do not have sufficient chips for the big blind, you can still play. You will be all-in for the amount that you have. As a result, the most you can win from each player is what you have in the pot.