Believed to have originated in the 17th century, poker is an interesting casino classic that comes with several different betting options. If you ask any experienced Poker player, they will probably tell you that Poker would’ve been an average casino game if it wasn’t for the blinds. And this leads to many novice players wondering what Poker blinds are. Well, we’ve created this article to explain the concept of blinds and how it works in the game of poker.
What are poker blinds?
Simply put, Poker Blind is a mandatory stake that needs to be placed in the game of Poker. The name “blind” originates from the fact that these wagers are made before the dealing of the cards takes place. When playing poker at a UK casino, you’ll come across multiple concepts of blinds, including small blinds and big blinds.
For players who don’t know, the small blind and maximum blind are positions to the left of the dealer. Poker players are seated around the table according to their positions. All in All, Blinds are one of the major aspects of Poker without which the game would’ve been pretty uninteresting.
The concept of Small Blind and Big Blind
In general, both the small blind and the big blind refer to wagers made by players who are seated in those positions. But again, there’s a difference between the two.
At any reliable live casino online, the maximum blind will usually be equal to the minimum wager at the table. The small blind will be half as effective. But it might happen that both the small blind and the big blind have the same amount, though it’s rare.
Poker Ante and Poker Blinds compared
As with blinds, the Ante is a forced wager made in the game of poker. But there’s a major difference between the two.
The Ante is the initial bet that all players must place before the cards are dealt. The Poker Ante wager can be found in numerous variations of poker, with Stud Poker being the most common one.
Unlike Ante, not all players need to pay for Blinds in Poker. Instead, the player seated left of the dealer contributes to the small blind and big blind in poker.
How are poker blinds determined?
In most cases, the poker game’s host will make a decision on the determination of Poker Blinds. In terms of their size, blinds usually follow the structure we mentioned earlier. As a reminder, the small blind will be half the value of the big blind.
However, as the host decides the size of the blinds, the above structure can vary and you may find blinds with different values. Knowing the Blinds structure the game follows is crucial as it helps you in adjusting your video poker strategy.
What’s the poker dealer button?
Experienced players know that the button is a position at the table. The player occupying the button position enjoys the benefit of betting last in the post-flop rounds. To make it easier for others to identify, the button position will often have the label “button” or “dealer” printed on it.
With each Poker hand, the order of Poker blinds changes – it shifts clockwise to the next player. And this applies to the Poker button position as well. It moves to the player sitting to the right of the small blind after the conclusion of each poker hand. If you want to know more about the concept of positions in Poker, we suggest you check out our list of the top Poker books that explain it in detail.
Cash game blinds vs tournament blinds
The working of Blinds in Poker tournaments is pretty much the same as in cash games. But there’s one major difference you need to know about. When using Blinds in a Poker tournament, you’ll notice that they aren’t a part of the initial gameplay rounds. Also, the size of the blinds in tournaments is usually bigger as compared to regular cash games.
When choosing to play poker tournaments, you need to have a decent bankroll. This is because the blinds get more expensive in the later stages and you may need to stop playing if you aren’t able to afford them.
Final thoughts
The concept of Poker blinds may seem a bit confusing at the start. But combining the information mentioned in our article with a few poker gameplay rounds will help you get a hang of it. And if you want to have a more entertaining gameplay experience when using poker blinds, be sure to check out our video poker tips. Happy gaming there!