Poker bets are based on strategy rather than on obligation. Each player plays the blinds in turn, regardless of the quality of their hand. Blindsīlinds like the big blind and small blind are mandatory and are played pre-flop - before the poker players look at their cards. In any game of poker, the difference between a blind and a bet comes down to choice. What’s the difference between a “blind” and a “bet”? The big blind in the first betting round will be relatively low compared to its size in the final round of betting. The duration of a blind level is called the blind period.

In tournaments, the big-blind bet increases over time. However, in most cases, poker tournament organizers decide on blind structure based on how long the tournament should last and how many starting chips each player will have. There are different ways to determine the amount of the big blind, depending on whether you’re in an individual poker game or a tournament.įor a single game, the big blind is simply the minimum bet for the table.įor tournament play, there’s some nuance to determining the size of the big blind. Some poker games have other kinds of mandatory bets like antes, but in two of the most popular poker games - Texas Hold’em and Omaha - big blinds and small blinds are the go-to ways to increase the pot. And we all feel just a little (or a lot!) more competitive when we’ve already risked some of our money. Mandatory blind bets like the small blind and the big blind keep things interesting by making players feel more competitive. Players may feel reserved about their bets at first, and it can take a few rounds for the pot to grow big enough to catch everyone’s interest and make for an engaging game. Without mandatory betting, poker games take a long time to build up to exciting stakes. Here are a few tips to help you understand why we use blinds in poker. Understanding the role of the big blind in poker We’ll cover all the nuances of the big blind below to get you up to speed in just a couple minutes. You’ll hear about big blinds frequently, and there’s a lot to know about this bet. Whether you play at casinos, in poker tournaments, or in informal cash games, it’s important to be familiar with big blinds (and a few other common terms and poker rules). The big-blind bet helps make the game more interesting.

At the start of each round, the big blind position rotates around the table so at some point every player will have their turn to make this forced bet. In poker games, the big blind is a mandatory bet placed by one player in each betting round.

Big blind and small blind texas holdem