stormswa
Legend
Silver Level
Straddle - Straddle - Poker Glossaryhttp://poker.about.com/od/pokerglossary/g/straddle.htm
A straddle is a blind bet made by the person under the gun. A straddle bet is equivalent to two big blinds. The person who posts the straddle gets to bet last in the preflop round. A straddle is very ill-advised in a limit game because you are unnecessarily posting a large blind bet out of position. Straddles are more common for games such as pot limit Omaha, where the straddle acts to increase the stakes of the game.
A straddle is a blind bet made by the person under the gun. A straddle bet is equivalent to two big blinds. The person who posts the straddle gets to bet last in the preflop round. A straddle is very ill-advised in a limit game because you are unnecessarily posting a large blind bet out of position. Straddles are more common for games such as pot limit Omaha, where the straddle acts to increase the stakes of the game.
diamond_06_06
Rock Star
Silver Level
A straddle is completely optional and risky (for lack of a better word strategy).
As the definition Stormswa posted it is a blind bet wich is double the big blind in limit poker and a minimum of double the BB anywhere up to your whole stack in no limit. The next person to act may also re-straddle, that is re-raise the initial straddle (minimum of double the bet), also blind. The rules may be different in the US, but in the Sydney casino the UTG straddler does not get to bet last preflop (as the definition suggests) as the straddle is his bet, and if it is not raised he cannot bet again.
As the definition Stormswa posted it is a blind bet wich is double the big blind in limit poker and a minimum of double the BB anywhere up to your whole stack in no limit. The next person to act may also re-straddle, that is re-raise the initial straddle (minimum of double the bet), also blind. The rules may be different in the US, but in the Sydney casino the UTG straddler does not get to bet last preflop (as the definition suggests) as the straddle is his bet, and if it is not raised he cannot bet again.
aliengenius
Cardschat Elite
Silver Level
A 'straddle' is a live bet, where they DO get the option of acting last preflop. Anything else is simply a min raise in the dark, even if it's called a 'straddle' incorrectly.
diamond_06_06
Rock Star
Silver Level
Oh ok, I was not aware. Next time I am at the casino would be curious to see what thier ruling on this will be (probably the wrong one).
Question - How can on straddle incorrectly? Or call a straddle incorrectly? My guess is that a straddle is a bet placed before any of the cards are dealt and a raise in the dark is done after the cards are dealt, but done so without looking at the cards. Is this the distinction made between being able to act last and not being able?
aliengenius
Cardschat Elite
Silver Level
Yes. A straddle is "live" and has the option to raise again preflop (even if there has been no raise, only calls of the straddle). If the poker room does not allow the last action preflop to the person to the left of the big blind who is posting chips in the amount of double the big blind, then I would consider that simply a raise in the dark.
Note that the reason someone could make a blind raise in this position is that the action is on them first; i.e., you can't raise blind (or straddle) from a random spot on the table.
It should also be pointed out that a straddle is not allowed in tournaments.
diamond_06_06
Rock Star
Silver Level
Again was not aware of this, thanks Aliengenius. Am assuming it is the same for SnG's as it is for MTT's?
aliengenius
Cardschat Elite
Silver Level
Yes.