what does "the straddle" refer to?

hello,

i was just watching poker after dark and the comentator mentioned something about not betting the straddle. I was wondering what that meant?

I found this:

What is a straddle bet?

Author: Stephen Landrum
Last updated: 1998
Copyright © 2006 Stephen Landrum
The official and up-to-date version of this answer is here.

In limit Hold'em and other flop games players are frequently allowed to make a bet called a straddle bet, sometimes known as a live blind, live raise, or live-<amount> where <amount> is the amount of the bet. The player who follows the big blind and would normally be under the gun can raise before cards before cards are dealt. Players that act after him must call the raise, fold, or raise the bet themselves. The straddler's raise is live - if no-one else raises, s/he has the option to reraise after the blinds have acted. If straddle bets are allowed, the player behind the straddler can also post a straddle by raising again, and so on until the maximum number of bets is reached.

For example: In a 6-12 game, the blinds are 3 and 6, the player after the small blind makes it live-12 by raising before the cards are dealt, and the player after him can make it live-18.

It tends to create much more action, since it is not just the BB and SB in the pot to start. You'll see the guys on High Stakes Poker trying to get a straddle or sometimes even a double straddle going.

It's not only in limit.

I don't think it's a really good play if you're the one putting out the straddle since you're basically the third blind and someone behind you can put in a raise and then you can't call or are behind if you do call when holding junk or moderate hands. It's something to do when you're just having fun or to build money in the pot. It's profitable if you're the one who gets the good cards or are in position to steal the raised pot.

I know when I'm playing a cash game with family (it's really tiny limits like 0.10/0.20 - so we're not taking that much money from family), we just put out the straddle for kicks and to see if someone will put the double/triple straddle out. Then afterwards realizing that may not have been the best play technically - but it's for fun anyways to see these random plays.

Now, if only online sites would allow to put the live straddle out there. May make the game more complicated. Some sites may have it, but I just don't know. Don't play too much online now and the sites I do play on don't have that option. I guess it's just a live game thing.