Poker blinds are the thing that makes the game of poker exciting and interesting. What they are, though? That is a common question players tend to ask. You will definitely find the answer to that infamous question in this article.
Poker blinds are mandatory bets that help push the game forward. You need to maintain a stack to place these bets when your turn comes. If you don’t maintain a stack, you will have to leave the game. Blinds in poker don’t need to be confusing, so we picked up this topic. We will break this down for you. Poker blinds work differently and can change in value depending on the host.
What Are Poker Blinds?
So many online casinos worldwide offer poker as one of their most played games. But still, what are poker blinds? Poker blinds are mandatory wagers. They are placed before any cards are dealt; that is why the name is “blind.” Poker blinds play a significant role in the game of poker and are paid by players who occupy the “small blind” and “big blind” positions. These are both positions that are, most of the time to the left of the dealer button.
If poker blinds didn’t exist, the game would not work because everyone would be waiting for the pocket aces and quickly get bored. And you know, who wants a bored player in a casino, right?
Poker Blinds: How Do They Work?
The above motioned “small blind” and “big blind” are named after table positions. Table positions in a game of Poker change all the time. This means that after every hand, the position changes, so every player will play both blinds once per orbit.
The Small Blind and The Big Blind
There is obviously a difference between a small blind and a big blind. Generally, they both refer to the amount players occupying these positions must bet. This is also called a forced bet.
A big blind would be the same amount as the table’s minimum bet, and the small blind would be half the size of that bet. Also, there could be a case where both big and small blinds will be the same amount, but those are very rare scenarios.
The Determination of Blinds
Most of the time, the game host will decide how to determine blinds in poker. The size of the blind would usually follow the structure. The big blind is twice the value of a small blind, as mentioned in this article.
Since it is the host’s decision, they could choose to change the actual structure and pick another value. The structure of the blinds is essential to the game and can help you decide your strategy over a long period.
Tournament Blinds versus Cash Game Blinds
In this specific case, when you use piker blinds in tournaments, they work exactly the same way as cash games. However, there is one thing in particular that you need to pay attention to. In tournaments, they are usually used in the later stages and increase after some time.
It is vital to maintain your chip stack. You need to keep this topped up, otherwise, you won’t be able to afford the blinds. Then, you’ll have to be knocked out of the game.
Poker Blind Strategies
Blinds in poker are very important, but everything depends on you regarding the usage of blinds. Depending on how you use the blinds, depends on your win as well. There are specific strategies you can use to give you the upper hand. In this article, we will check out two strategies, and you can decide whether you want to use those or not.
Take more from Small Blinds
Dead money is in the pot, which you can win if you play your strategy right. You can balance out the losses you make from the small blinds if you win the money from the pot.
If you are attempting to steal from the small blind, it is good that you use a larger bet to help fight off your opponent. If your bet is very small, the big blind has an incentive to call. In another case, you’re giving them a wide opening range, and basically, they have the upper hand.
Defend your big blind
Big blinds in poker will naturally make some players fold due to the price of the bet. Your strategy should be not to fold. That is very much straightforward, right? You need to be prepared to fight for the pot. Folding is not actually always the right way to go. However, not ever folding is not right as well. If you fight too much, you will burn yourself out. Knowing when to defend and fold is the right balance you need to master.
The price you get on a call means you could defend a wide range of hands from the big blind that has less equity than you would need if you were calling from a different position. It may be a good idea to look up a poker blinds chart for more information.
Be careful with the big blind player
With all the above in the article, you should keep your eye on the big blind player. You may need to adjust your strategy in your mind if you have a good, aggressive player to your left. You need to sense those things and ensure your game is safe to be on their right. You need to watch out for tendencies in their game; if you need to change your strategy based on their moves, do it.
When there is an aggressive player, you need to narrow your ranges; however, you need to widen your ranges to win the pot if the big blind player is tight. Those are things that you need to master at all times. When you are a pro, those things just come in handy.