subject: Sitting In The Texas Hold Em Blind [print this page] The blinds in Texas Hold Em are the two positions in which the player is forced to contribute, or ante up, to the beginning of the pot. This is set up to prevent people from routinely folding every hand without ever hazarding a bet. They"re designated the Big Blind and the Small Blind. The Big Blind is generally equal to the minimum bet established by the game host. The Small Blind is most often half of that.
When you contribute to the Blind, that amount is deducted from the amount you must contribute to stay in the game until the second hand. So, for example, if you are in the Big Blind, you"re automatically in the first complete round and don"t need to add anything to the pot, unless it is to meet a raise. Therefore, it makes no sense to fold as there"s nothing more to gain or lose. From the Small Blind, you only have to make up the difference between your contribution and the minimum bet to stay in. The Blind is similar to an ante in five-card-stud, and rather like working capital when you"re running a business.
When the dealer says to you, "Option"""you"re being asked whether you want to raise or call the bet. If your intent is to raise, you put in an amount of money equal to your Blind bet, or just tap the table to indicate you "Check" "" or stand where you are. "Check" is the response you offer when you don"t wish to act in any way that has to be answered by the other players at the table. You don"t raise and you don"t have to call, nor are you going to fold your hand. It"s a delaying tactic to see what the other players are planning to do at this stage in the poker hand. It allows you to react, rather than act. Some players use this strategy when their cards are less than wonderful and yet other players use it when they are sitting on a goldmine but wish to appear as though they are not.
If you happen to be in the Blind and someone raises, it"s not the best position to be in because you"re forced to act without even having checked your cards. This is an opportunity for the more experienced players to promptly raise you, forcing you to donate your Blind ante and fold your hand. That"s a power play and while you"re in the Blind only two hands in the round and certainly able to force the same play when you"re not, it borders on the "mean" side of the game and you"ll see this sort of behavior can raise some tempers. But you have to always remember that Hold "Em is like business, you don"t get points for being nice and only the winner takes home the money.
Remember not to fold when you"re in the Blind "" you"ve already paid to see the cards. This is a common mistake that new players will make in the heat of play.
by: J.P. Jones
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