Ante Question

[Styleman]

First Post! Casual lover of NL Texas Hold-em Poker.

I have some questions in regards to antes. I understand the basics, but what I want to make sure of (for a home game) the rules around bets and raises pre and post flop. I'll make this question as simple as I can given my knowledge.

In a tournament, lets pretend small blind of 400, big blind of 800 and an ante of 100. We will be using a standard ante that every player will pay seperately, not a button or big blind ante... if that matters.

Question 1) Preflop, is the minimum raise size 800 or 900 or some other amount?

Question 2) Postflop, Is the minimum bet 800 or 900?

Any supporting URL links would be appreciated, so I can forward to the home game crew.

Thanks in advance!

 

[dannystanks]

1. 800.00
2. 800.00

 

[ADRI7HO]

The minimum raise is usually the size of the big blind both preflop and postflop.
But I suppose you can do it any way you like in a home game.

 

[Styleman]

The minimum raise is usually the size of the big blind both preflop and postflop.
But I suppose you can do it any way you like in a home game.

Thanks, but we don't want to make up our own rules.

We are recently adding antes to our home game to help reduce the total run time of the tournament without ballooning the blinds up to stupid levels where everyone is short stacked and it turns into a push/fold fest.

The confusion came in that if we are putting 900 worth of forced bets in the pot (800 big blind plus 100 ante) shouldn't the raise size also be 900?

We now understand that logic to be incorrect.

 

[ADRI7HO]

Thanks, but we don't want to make up our own rules.

We are recently adding antes to our home game to help reduce the total run time of the tournament without ballooning the blinds up to stupid levels where everyone is short stacked and it turns into a push/fold fest.

The confusion came in that if we are putting 900 worth of forced bets in the pot (800 big blind plus 100 ante) shouldn't the raise size also be 900?

We now understand that logic to be incorrect.

Generally, in online tournaments, the antes do not affect the minimum raise, where the big blind is always the minimum raise.
The ante is only a mandatory bet for everyone in order to increase the desire to play, it does not have to affect the amount of the minimum raise, but the players have to adapt because the size of the pot is larger and with the raise of 2-3 blinds the size of the ante increases the pot odds can also be more favorable for participating in the game, which means that if you want fewer opponents in the hand, you have to balance the level of raising higher, but in such a way that it is not noticeable to the opponents.
Good luck!

 

[dannystanks]

You guys should try doing the BB antee. Only the BB pays and it’s the same size as the BB. This makes the game faster and you will get used to playing like they do in real card rooms. We started doing that in our home games a few years ago and everyone really likes it.
You can also go to wsop.com and find their most recent TDA tournament rules. If you adopt those same rules it’s good for your players because it teaches them to play the right way.

 

[Funtast]

I don't like the idea of the BB putting the ante simply because it changes the game too much. RFI now becomes a 3bet. Stacksizes are basically halfed.

 

[jproy444]

For those who played BB ante tournaments, how does it change the dynamic of the game?