In poker, the big blind is a mandatory payment that must be made by a player in the big blind position before any cards are dealt. In the majority of games, the big blind is twice the size of the small blind. The less common pattern of usage is that some poker rooms instruct dealers to toss an “absent” button in front of a seat as soon as it is vacated. This has the advantage of helping the dealer. The blinds are forced bets that induce play before any cards are dealt. The big blind is usually the minimum bet allowed and is put into the pot by the player to the dealer's left. The small blind is half the minimum bet and is put in by the player two positions away from the dealer's left.

The blinds in poker are designed to start the betting action. In flop games like Texas hold’em and Omaha the blinds are posted by the two players to the left of the dealer button.

This is known as the small blind. The player to his left will then place a full bet for that round. This player is called the big blind. Once the cards are dealt, the betting action starts with the player to the left of the big blind. He may either fold, call (by matching the big blind's initial bet) or raise (by increasing the big blind's bet). The mandatory contribution to the pot made before any cards are dealt under the condition that the player making that wager is permitted to make a raise even when no other player has previously raised; as opposed to a dead blind.

What Is The Meaning Of Blinds In Poker Tournaments

The first player to the left of the dealer button is the “small blind.” The player in the small blind is required to put in half the amount of the big blind.

The player in the “big blind” is required to put in an amount equal to one full first round bet. The minimum amount you can bet on the pre-flop and post-flop rounds is an amount equal to the big blind. So if the Big Blind is $50, all players must put $50 in the pot. If no one has raised before the Big Blind player, he has the option to fold, check or raise, but if someone has raised he can fold, call or raise. If no one at the table has placed a bet, the player at the Big Blind can check. In order to stay in the hand, the Small Blind player must put an amount in the pot, which is equal to the difference between the two blind bets.

The min/max buy-in for a poker cash game is always in relation to the size of the blinds, with most players starting chips ranging from 40 to 100 big blinds.

Related terms on PokerDictionary.net

In order to start betting in Hold’em, forced bets (known as blinds) are made by the two players immediately clockwise from the dealer button. The person immediately clockwise from the dealer has the small blind, and the next player clockwise has the big blind. Making blind bets is known as posting and this is done before any cards are dealt.

The size of the bets are determined by the limits of the game that you’re playing and the small blind is nearly always half of the big blind. So a $2/$4 Limit Hold’em game has a small blind of $1 and a big blind of $2.

Blinds are forced bets. The players in these positions must make these bets or they aren’t dealt cards in the hand. These blinds, in turn, force betting action on the table after everyone has been dealt their hole cards.

At a casino, when you first sit down at a Hold’em table, the rules vary as to whether you have to post blinds (even if you’re out of the normal blind positions for that hand) in order to be dealt a hand.

In Las Vegas, you’re dealt a hand as soon as you sit down and have shown that you meet the table’s minimum buy-in. You’re not required to post a blind in order to get hole cards. Conversely, in most California card rooms, you’re required to post a big blind in order to get your starting hand.

What Is The Meaning Of Blinds In Poker Table

In cases where you’re required to post a big blind before you’re dealt cards, you’re mildly better off just waiting until it would normally be your turn to get the big blind anyway, rather than jumping straight into the hand. Waiting like this keeps you from making an extra forced bet and gives an added bonus of being able to case the players at the table while you aren’t actually playing. Dealers are used to this behavior and will probably ask you if you want to sit out (that is, wait until it’s your turn to post the big blind).

What Is The Meaning Of Blinds In Poker Tournament

How soon you post is a fine point, though, that doesn’t really make that much difference. If you’re itchin’ to play, or if you have a very limited amount of time to play, go ahead and jump in. The dealer will tell you whether you’re required to post a big blind.