Finding out more information: Another reason why you should raise even if you have some marginal poker hands in order to find out more information about what your opponent is playing. This US online poker strategy can be used before and after the flop, but it should never be used when you are dealing with ultra-tight players. Let’s say you raise to $7 and your opponent re-raises to anywhere between $20 and $30 (a sensible re-raise size). If you both have $50 stacks, we now know a) he’s not folding (he has around 50% of his chips in the pot already) and b) you’re probably way behind – or at best up against A-K. Since you owed the pot 15 cents for calling and 25 for your raise, you would put 40 cents into the pot. Fold When you fold, you drop out of the current hand (losing any possibility of winning the pot), but you don't have to put any money into the pot. Betting continues until everyone calls or folds after a raise or initial bet. Mar 08, 2018 I'll see you and raise you. Used to accept (or call) a bet, and at the same time raise the stakes. I'll see your five and raise you ten. I'll see your bet and raise you one thousand. I'll see your $20 and raise you $200. More generally, used when someone produces or reveals something. Rules and variants of five card draw poker. Five Card Draw is one of the oldest forms of poker and was by far the best known internationally until the sudden rise in popularity of Texas Hold'em at the end of the 20th century. The basic game will be described first, followed by some variations with extra opening conditions, winning conditions or wild cards. Dec 14, 2013 How Much to Raise Poker Tutorials. Professional Poker Player, and I'm going to help you learn how to size your raises. The first thing you need to know about raising is when you can raise.
Robert Woolley
Table Of Contents
You're enjoying your first time in a real poker room.
You've played for several orbits of the button and are feeling like you're getting the hang of things.
Then, suddenly, when you're four seats left of the button, expecting to be second to act.
The player to your right puts out some chips even before picking up his cards, the dealer says, 'Straddle,' and points to you.
Apparently, everyone expects you to do something.
Your mind reels, wondering if your legs are long enough to straddle whatever it is the dealer expects you to straddle and whether it will look pornographic if you do it.
What the hell is going on here?
What do Players Think about the Straddle Bet?
Players | Reaction |
---|---|
Aggressive Players | In Favor. You get more action when the straddle bet can lead to an all-in blind bet. |
Conservative Players | Against. When you don't set a limit for the straddle bet in no-limit poker games, you risk turning the hands into a luck-based lottery. |
What is a Straddle in Poker?
- The straddle in poker is an extra bet that is placed before the cards are dealt.
- The straddle bet is usually equal to 2x the big blind (BB).
- In some particular cases that we explore in this article, the amount of this bet can be unlimited.
The 'straddle bet' is one of the most confusing subjects to try to explain to new players.
The essential concept is that the straddle is an optional blind bet (i.e., one made before the cards are dealt).
But the number of variations on that basic idea is dauntingly large and bewildering to every new player.
The straddle is an optional blind bet.
You can hit five Vegas poker rooms in a day, and find that they all have different rules for straddles.
Let's start by describing the basic elements of what we might call the 'classic' straddle in poker:
- It occurs in 'flop' games or the versions of poker in which there are community cards used by all players to make their hands — mainly Texas hold'em and Omaha poker.
- The option to place a straddle bet belongs to the player who would otherwise be first to act, which is the seat to the immediate left of the big blind.
- The straddle bet, if it is to be done, must be either put out or verbally announced before the cards are dealt, or at least before the player has looked at his cards. (The former way is easier to enforce, but some casinos allow the latter.)
- The size of the straddle bet is double the big blind, and effectively acts as a voluntary third blind, by which I mean that it sets a new 'limp-in' level. In a $1/$2 no-limit hold'em game, the straddle would be $4. Subsequent players in turn then must either call that $4, raise, or fold. In essence, for one hand the straddle transforms the game from $1/$2 no-limit to $1/$2/$4 no-limit.
- Because the straddler put his money in without having seen his cards, he is given another chance to act after having looked at them, just as the two players in the blinds get. His options are the same as those that the big blind has when there is no straddle: check, fold, or raise, depending on what action has gone before.
- After the flop, everything proceeds in the normal fashion; the fact that there was a preflop straddle has no further effect on how the hand is played.
All of that is not too hard to deal with.
You just think of the straddle as an optional third blind, and everything makes perfect sense.
But poker players are never content to just leave well enough alone. They're always tinkering, coming up with new variations to keep from getting bored and to try to find a new strategic edge.
The most common variant is the 'Button Straddle'
So we started seeing mutations of the basic elements listed above. And these can change the very nature of this bet and the poker straddle definition.
The Straddle Bet in No-Limit Games
In no-limit games, some people reasoned that the 'no-limit' concept should apply to all bets, including the straddle.
As a result, you now sometimes see house rules that allow the straddle to be any amount, up to and including an all-in blind bet. Action-hungry players love this.
Other more conservative players think it ruins the game, turning a contest of skill into a crapshoot when the game has a few players who take advantage of this leeway.
If you ask me, I'm delighted to have a game in which we have players routinely putting in all their chips in the dark.
That's because:
- I am not one of them
- I get to decide whether to call after looking at my cards.
![Poker When Can You Raise Poker When Can You Raise](/uploads/1/2/5/1/125173799/120914704.jpg)
If you think about it, this way of using the straddle bet in poker is an enormous advantage in my favour — a far larger mathematical edge than I could get in most games.
Besides, action like that doesn't tend to go on for very long.
Blackjack 55 catamaran rtr with g26 2. The players doing it either burn through all the money in their pocket, or they get lucky, accumulate a huge stack, and decide to either cash-out or start playing more cautiously.
Poker Straddle: Three Scenarios to Know
There are different scenarios where you might be required to know how to deal with straddling and how to size your first bet.
- The Under-the-Gun (UTG) Straddle: This is the most common straddle in poker. The UTG player is required to place the straddle bet before the dealer begins to distribute the cards.
- The Mississippi Straddle: Any player can straddle — as long as they do it before the cards are dealt. If no one re-straddle (yes, that's possible), the player who places the straddle bet is the last one to act before the flop.
- The Un-Capped Straddle: This is the occasion we have seen above when we spoke about no-limit games. This type removes the 2x BB rule and lets players bet as much as they want / can afford.
The 'Button Straddle'
Things got even more confusing when poker rooms started introducing variations on who can straddle.
Very rarely, you'll find a game in which a straddle is allowed from any position.
Another common variant these days is the 'button straddle.'
The game can't have more than one straddle. The button straddle, if in play, takes precedence over the under-the-gun straddle, and the dealer pushes the latter bet back to the player before passing out the cards.
Poker Can You Raise Twice In A Round
Unfortunately, giving the straddle option to the player on the button wreaks havoc on the usual order of play, if the straddler is to have the last option to raise, as he does when the straddle is from the first position.
Casinos have devised several ways of handling this anomaly:
- In some places, the use of the button straddle option means that action starts with the under-the-gun player, proceeds clockwise as usual, but then skips the button, jumps to the two blinds, then back to the button for his move.Of course, if the button chooses to raise, then the action goes around the table again.
- In other places, the button straddle rearranges the order of play from the get-go, and the small blind is the first to act, followed by the big blind, then around the table to the button.
- Finally, you will rarely encounter a game with even more complicated rules, such as having the order of action between the button and the blinds change depending on how many raises have been made in the meantime.It gets horribly complicated and confusing to everyone.Don't worry about these obscure variants. They're usually found only in high-stakes, action-crazy games.
I'll save for another day a discussion of whether and when you might want to straddle for tactical advantage.
For now, if you're aware of the traditional procedure and the most commonly found modern variants on that classic, as explained above, you'll be in a position to avoid the confusion and frustration that new players otherwise tend to experience when first encountering the poker oddity called the straddle.
888poker Ambassador Vivian Saliba Explains the Pros and Cons of the Straddle Bet
Usually, players will straddle from under the gun or the button, although on rare occasions they can be allowed to straddle from other positions (a.k.a., a 'Mississippi straddle').
The straddle size is commonly twice the big blind — thus, if the game is $5/$10 no-limit hold'em, the straddle bet would be $20.
The straddle bet increases the stakes of the game you are playing.
There are a few things to consider when putting in a straddle bet in poker or when playing a 'straddled' hand.
First of all, you must keep in mind that when a straddle or third blind bet is played, that will increase the stakes of the game you are currently playing.
If you are playing a $1/$2 no-limit hold'em game with effective stacks of $200, the Stack-to-Pot ratio (or SPR) before any bets are made is 66.66.
That changes if someone decides to throw the straddle bet into the mix.
If someone puts in a $4 straddle (2x the big blind), suddenly the SPR drops to 28.57. This change means you'll have to adjust your preflop ranges and strategy.
Two Key Factors to Consider:
- If you believe you have an edge against the other players, decreasing the SPR might not be the best thing for you to do.It might have the effect of limiting the decision-making of short stacks, which in turn gives them fewer opportunities to make mistakes, thereby lessening your edge.
- If most of those sitting around the table are deep-stacked, playing in a bigger game might be a good thing to do, insofar as it can increase your chances of winning bigger pots.
Another argument in favour of straddling is that doing so usually loosens up the game. This creates what could be a better dynamic for you with more action.
This is especially true if you can influence other players to do the same and straddle as well.
You shouldn't feel bad or hesitate at all to refuse to straddle if this is your wish.
When an entire table is straddling (or even most of the players), some don't even realize they are actually playing a bigger game than they should be.
A situation like this one can lead to those players experiencing more pressure and thus play less well.
The straddle bet can even cause them to tilt and make more mistakes.
Even if you believe there are good reasons to straddle, keep in mind that straddling from Under the Gun (as opposed to straddling from the button or other positions) can mean putting in more money and potentially playing bigger pots from out of position.
Check In Texas Holdem
Most players — even the most profitable ones — lose money when playing from the small and big blinds.
Voluntarily putting in that third blind from UTG thus increases your risk.
Not only you'll be playing a bigger game but very likely be playing from out of position in most post-flop situations.
The scenario is considerably different when you straddle from the button, which is the most profitable position at the table for most players.
Making the game play bigger while enjoying position post-flop can be a profitable strategy.
Remember that making smart decisions is the key to success in poker.
Always make it clear to yourself the reasoning behind your decisions with every move you make when playing poker.
That goes for decisions made in a hand, as well as the decision whether or not to straddle when given the opportunity.
Even though poker is a social game — and I highly recommend you try your best to enjoy it and also to be sociable while playing — you shouldn't feel bad or hesitate at all to refuse to straddle if this is your wish, even if everyone else is doing it.
Stay disciplined, and evaluate every situation in order to make the best choice for you.
Video: How to Use the Straddle Bet to Win More Hands
In this conversation part of the PokerSimple series, poker-lifers Tommy Angelo and Lee Jones explain how you can use the straddle bet in poker to your own advantage.
Poker Straddle F.A.Q.
Why do you straddle in poker?
The straddle bet 'buys' you the right to be the last one to act. This way, you can act as if you were on the big blind even if you are not.
Is the straddle considered to be a raise?
According to Robert's Rules of Poker by Bob Ciaffone, the straddle is a third blind, not a raise. However much the straddle is, that's the new big blind.
How much can you straddle in poker?
The standard straddle bet is equal to 2x the big blind (BB). In a $1/$2 Hold'em game, the straddle would be $4. Once the straddle bet is on the table, all the other players will need $4 to 'Call' and continue playing the hand.
Is straddling profitable in poker?
Hardly so. The straddle is a blind bet, and it is never +EV to invest in your hand before you see what cards you hold.
About the Authors
Robert Woolley lives in Asheville, NC. He spent several years in Las Vegas and chronicled his life in poker on the 'Poker Grump' blog.
Primarily an online player, 888poker Ambassador Vivian 'Vivi' Saliba has recently collected numerous live cashes including making the money in both the 2017 WSOP Main Event and 2017 WSOP Europe Main Event.
Pot-limit Omaha is her favorite variant, and among her many PLO scores is an 11th place in the $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed Championship at the 2017 WSOP.
Get all the latest PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook!
Easy way to calculate poker odds. If you're playing Limit poker, you count the number of bets in the pot instead of the amount of money.When the bets double, as in Hold'em, you count the big bets as two small bets.If you're playing Pot-Limit or No-Limit it's a little bit harder to count the pot and, as a result, the odds will not be as exact.Regardless, you still should do it.
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More and more in today’s poker, aggression is the key. This is particularly true in tournament play. The best poker players know how to pick their spots and are great at sensing weakness. One aggressive play that should be in everyone’s arsenal is the re-raise (also known as a re-steal). We will use the two terms interchangeably, but this poker lesson will focus on situations when the goal of re-raising pre-flop is to get the other player to fold.
The first step in learning the power of the re-raise is to be able to recognize situations in which the re-steal is more likely to be effective and profitable over the long run. Sure, there are times when you re-raise and the guy wakes up with Aces, but you have to take that chance sometimes to win a poker tournament.
Risk/Reward
Plain and simple, there must either be enough chips in the pot to make the risk of re-raising profitable or your stack in relation to the binds must dictate that you are in a situation that you need to take risks. For example, if the blinds are 10/20, you and your opponent both have 1500 and he raises from the button to 60, there is little value in re-stealing here and he’s not as likely to fold. Riviera casino no deposit bonus.
Stage of the Tournament
Bubbles are the best time to re-steal in poker because people are less likely to take big risks that might cost them their tournament life. This could be the money bubble stage, the final table bubble or near any significant jump in pay.
Stack Sizes
If stacks are deep and there are enough chips in the pot to make re-raising worth it, you can re-steal and have two ways to win:
- They fold
- They call and you continue your aggression post-flop.
If there’s a chance your opponent will call, you are much better off re-stealing from the button or cut-off so that you have position after the flop.
Caution – make sure you’re deep stacked enough in order to re-steal effectively without pushing all-in pre-flop. If you are mid-stacked it’s easy to commit yourself in an awkward flop situation. If you are somewhat short stacked, the best re-steal is to push all-in. Depending on how much fold equity you have (see below), this can put a lot of pressure on your opponent. Re-steals tend to be more effective and valuable during the late stages of a tournament since stacks are shorter on average and pots contain more blinds and antes.
Fold Equity
Assuming your re-steal is pushing all-in, it is best to do this when you are not going to give your opponent the correct odds to call. Most conventional advice says that if you are getting around 2-1 you have the odds to call with almost any two cards. It doesn’t always make it a correct call, but since many people use this as a guide you should start looking for re-steal opportunities around 7-10M (M = your stack divided by the size of the pot pre-flop). Depending on their stack size, by giving incorrect odds to call you are increasing the amount of fold equity you have.
Damage to the Other Player
When looking for profitable re-steal situations you must consider your opponent’s stack size. Generally you want to avoid re-stealing into a huge stack because they have the chips to gamble with. At the same time, you don’t want to re-steal into a short stack who may feel desperate. The best stacks to re-steal against are the ones who you can do damage to if they called and lost. If you have 15,000 and your opponent has 22,000 with blinds at 500/1000 they are going to risk dropping down to 7BB. Even if they have a hand that is possibly ahead of your range, they will often still fold because they can pick a better spot to risk their chips.
Your Opponent’s Image
Have they been stealing a lot, are they capable of folding to a re-raise, are they willing to gamble, are they a new player who overvalues their hand? These are some of the questions you have to ask yourself. Generally, re-steals are the most effective against loose aggressive players who know how to let go of a hand. By shoving into them, you are taking away their play and they will likely pick another spot. But pay close attention to who you are re-stealing from. Because re-steals have become more prominent, people are loosening their calling re-requirements. Where it used to be common place for someone to fold AT to a re-raise, some people are now insta-calling with this hand.
Your Image
The main question to ask yourself is “what hand range will they put me on based on how I’ve been playing?” If you have re-stolen the last 3 times you were in the blinds, you are probably going to be called by someone who decides to look you up. If you’ve been playing like a rock, you could probably re-steal with any two cards and someone will fold AQ to you.
Position
The most popular positions to re-steal from are the blinds because people will often raise with any two cards from the late position. While these are still effective, an often more believable re-steal position is from the button. Since a late position player may be stealing with a marginal hand, a button push is still effective against his range. In fact, a re-raise from the button looks much more believable that you have a very strong hand and will get the blinds and your opponent to fold a decent hand such as a mid pocket pair or AJ.
Your Cards
Notice we are waiting until now to talk about your cards. That’s because these should be the last thing you think about when determining if the situation is right for a re-steal. Ideally, you will want to have live cards to re-steal with in case you do get called. A hand like is still only a 40% underdog against two over cards. When you factor that, along with the % of time they will fold, it makes the re-steal profitable.
Be careful re-stealing with hands like KQ or A-rag because if you do get called you are likely a 25-30% underdog. Obviously, if you have a hand that you feel is the favourite pre-flop you aren’t necessarily “stealing”. A shove might still be the correct play, but it’s more of a shove for value than for fold equity.
Hand Example – Re-Steal with Suited Connectors
The following hand example is from the money bubble stage of a no-limit hold’em tournament. It folds to your opponent in the cut-off who raises to 3,000. You are in the small blind with :
Figure 1
Your opponent is an experienced loose aggressive player. While he isn’t in every pot, you can be assured that if it folds to him in late position he is going to be raising. Your image is pretty solid. You haven’t been involved in too many pots and you have shown down good hands the last few that you have won. The big blind in the hand is a new, but very tight player who keeps commenting about making the money.
Should you fold, call or raise? Well, the worst play is to call. You are out of position with a marginal hand against an aggressive player. Unless you hit the flop perfectly, you are going to have to let the hand go.
There is nothing wrong with a fold here, but given the table image of each player still in the hand, the stage of the tournament and the stack sizes involved, I would re-steal and shove all-in. You will be giving your opponent 1.5-1 (23,900 in the pot and 15,400 to call), which makes it mathematically incorrect to call and he’s experienced enough to know that. Your stack can also do a lot of damage since it would leave your opponent with 7,500 if he lost.
If for some reason the big blind or your opponent wakes up with a hand, you are still not that big of an underdog. Regardless, the likelihood of them folding in this situation is very high and makes it move with positive expected value. You shove, the big blind folds and your opponent folds .
Strategies for Playing Against a Re-Steal
Since more and more players are utilizing the re-steal in their bag of tricks, you have to be observant and watch who may be using this technique and adjust your play. Here are some ways to counteract its effects:
Randomize your play by limping in late position
If you normally raise in late position when it folds to you and are now limping, this could freeze the action and cause the other players to be suspicious and worry you might have a monster. Since there are fewer chips in the pot to win, it also reduces their likelihood to raise from the blinds and you will have position on the flop.
Open up your calling requirements
Depending on your opponents’ propensity to re-steal, your stack size and need to gamble; you can make the call of a re-steal with a hand like AJ, KQ or a mid pocket pair and be confident that you are ahead.
Steal more from early position rather than late
Button steals have become so common place that many players automatically assume it’s a steal. But if you are stealing from an early position, it puts a lot more pressure on the other players because they are going to give you credit for a good hand.
Make your big hands look like a steal
If you pick up AA or KK in late position, consider raising larger or smaller than normal depending on what you think the re-stealer will think of your size (if you typically randomize your raise sizes). If you always raise the same amount, then just stick with that since any variation might look suspicious.
Reduce the size of your pre-flop raise
Instead of raising 3-4 times the big blind, start raising 2.25-2.75. These raise sizes are just as effective late in a tournament and reduce the amount you lose if someone does decide to come over the top.
This brings our lesson on re-stealing to a close. Hopefully you’ve picked up a few tips that will help you in future poker tournaments. Just remember that the best poker players know how to pick their spots and are great at sensing weakness – which is what you should be doing too.
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By Donovan Panone
Donovan started playing poker in 2004 and is an experienced tournament and cash game player who has a passion for teaching and helping others improve their game.
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