Blinds

Blinds are two forced bets posted before any cards are dealt: the small blind (SB) and the big blind (BB), placed by the two players seated to the left of the dealer button. They put money in the pot every hand so there is always something to play for.

What are the blinds in poker?

In Texas Hold'em, the player directly left of the button posts the small blind and the next player posts the big blind. The big blind is usually double the small blind. If the small blind is 1 chip, the big blind is 2 chips. These bets are placed before anyone sees their cards, which is why they are called forced or mandatory bets.

Stack sizes and bet sizes in poker are often measured in big blinds. A 100 big blind stack means you have 100 times the big blind in chips. This makes it easy to compare stacks across different stake levels.

Why do blinds exist?

Without blinds, players could fold every hand forever and lose nothing. Blinds force action by seeding the pot. They also create a rotating cost, since the blinds move one seat clockwise after every hand so everyone pays their share over time.

• Small blind: the smaller forced bet, posted just left of the button.
• Big blind: the larger forced bet, usually twice the small blind, posted next.
• Antes: in some games an extra small forced bet from every player, on top of the blinds.

What is a blind vs blind spot?

A blind vs blind pot happens when everyone folds to the small blind and only the small blind and big blind remain. These spots play differently because both players already have money in and act from weak position relative to the rest of the table. Wide ranges and lots of postflop play are common.

In tournaments the blinds go up on a timer, which forces players to act before their stacks shrink. You can track rising levels with the blinds timer. To study how position shapes correct blind play, the GTO Ranges+ app shows solver-approved ranges for every seat.

FAQ

How big is the small blind compared to the big blind?

The small blind is normally half the big blind. If the big blind is 100, the small blind is 50.

Do the blinds move around the table?

Yes. After each hand the button and both blinds shift one seat clockwise, so every player pays the blinds in turn.

Are antes the same as blinds?

No. Blinds are posted by two players, while antes are small bets posted by every player at the table to build the pot faster.