Ante and Straddle in Poker

Ante Definition

An ante is a small forced bet that every player at the table puts into the pot before the hand starts. It’s used to build a pot and encourage action. Antes are common in tournament poker and some cash games. Unlike blinds (which are posted by just two players), everyone pays the ante each hand.

There’s also something called a big blind ante, where just the player in the big blind pays the full ante for the whole table—this speeds up the game.

Example:

In a tournament with 100/200 blinds and a 25 ante, each player posts 25 chips before the cards are dealt.

Straddle Definition

A straddle is an optional blind raise made before the cards are dealt, usually by the player under the gun (UTG)—the one immediately to the left of the big blind. The straddle is typically double the big blind and acts like a third blind. It gives the straddler the last action preflop, instead of being first to act.

Straddling is mostly used in cash games and adds more money to the pot right away. It also creates a looser, more aggressive dynamic.

Example:

In a $1/$2 game, the UTG player puts out a $4 straddle. Now the action starts with the next player, and the straddler gets to act last on the first round.

Examples of Where Ante and Straddle Are Used

• In a tournament, a player says, “Blinds are 1,000/2,000 with a 300 ante,” meaning every player antes 300 each hand.
• At a casino cash table, someone says, “I’ll straddle this hand,” and puts out double the big blind before the cards are dealt.
• You might hear, “Straddle’s on—game’s getting wild,” when the pot size grows fast thanks to early raises.

Antes build the pot slowly and steadily. Straddles? They crank up the action right from the start.