Poker Bets : Antes, Blinds, Brings and Posts

If you have ever seen a game of poker, you may have noticed that there are several auctions that take place before and after the cards are dealt. These bets are special rules and are chosen according to the type of poker being played. If you want to learn more, here’s what you need to know about betting in poker.

Blinds

In poker, blinds are compulsory bets made before the cards are dealt and apply to 2 of the players. There are two types of blinds: the small blind and the big blind.

The player to the left of the dealer receives the small blind. The player to the left of the dealer receives the big blind. The players who have to honour the blinds change as the game progresses. Once the big blind is posted, the other players must either call or fold and leave the hand. The players who must post the blinds are obliged to respect them.

In general, in a professional game, the small blind amount increases gradually, and is half the minimum bet. The big blind is always double the small blind. This adds more pressure to the players and forces them to participate.

Antes

An Ante is a mandatory bet made at the very beginning of the game by all players. It should be made before the cards are dealt, just like Blinds. The difference lies in two points: 

  • all players pay the ante
  • there is no small or large ante; all players pay the same amount.

Why use antes? To ensure that there is always a payoff in the pot, and that the players feel involved in the hand. Of course, antes can increase progressively depending on the type of game. 

In general, a poker game uses either blinds or antes. Antes are good for classic buddy poker games, while blinds are for the professional level. 

The Brings

This rule is found mainly in Stud Poker. In this variant of poker, some cards are made visible. The Bring-in is a forced bet. The player with the lowest exposed card honours the bring-in. Note that in this variant of Poker, Antes are also used.

When a player is designated for a bring-in, he can either honour the bring-in or make a full bet by directly increasing the value of the bring-in.

The Poster

Before a first hand at the table, a player may choose to “Post”. In simple terms, he chooses to pay the big blind to receive his hand. This is possible even if that player is not in the blind positions. He can also wait until he is required to pay the big blind before posting.