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Find victory in betting poker blind bets

Playing one of the gaming industry’s most popular games, poker, is a fun, challenging and rewarding experience every bettor should try. However, it can be a real challenge to beginners with a lot of tactics, both basic and advanced, to master.

Fortunately, you can ease your way into mastering it through learning blinds. Find out what a blind is and how you can use it to your advantage when you keep on reading this Bitcasino article.

What are blinds?

Blinds, also known as ‘Forced Bets’ are required bets specific players need to place before the dealer gives players cards to play. This type of bet is done only by small and big blind bettors who find themselves beside the dealer. The former is found at the left of the dealer, while the latter is seated at the left of the small blind bettor.

In multiple rounds of poker, everyone gets to play as either a small or big blind bettor because the positions of all the players will always change. 

Why blinds exist

You may be wondering why blinds exist in addition to the similarly mandatory betting requirement, Ante. The reason for this is simple: to encourage players like you to continue with the game. Since everyone will have the chance to play in the blinds position, they’d have to spend an additional bet they’d want to win back by continuously participating in the game. 

Plus, putting additional bets increases the pot, exciting the players and urging them to not fold too soon since they can win an even larger prize if they continue playing.

Difference between Ante and blind

Earlier, it’s been mentioned that like the Ante, a blind is a mandatory bet players need to wager to partake in the current round. So what’s the difference between the two?

The Ante is a small betting requirement everyone has to pay to join the game. Meaning, if you don’t pay the round’s current ante, the dealer won’t be giving you any cards and you won’t be able to play.

What separates the two is that the blinds affect the overall value of any succeeding bets while the ante does not. For example, if the small blind bettor places a 3 credit bet and the big blind bettor wagers 6 credits, the next player will have to make a call of 6 credits or raise the current bet to 12 credits. This is because you can’t place a wager lower than the previously placed one. The ante has no bearing on any of these bet sizes.

Difference between small and big blinds

Everyone has the chance to become a small blind or big blind bettor, but what does it mean to be either one of these bettor types and how do they differ?

When you’re either a big or small blind bettor, it means you’ll be required to bet the table’s set betting wagers. For small blind bettors, you’re required to bet a value that’s half of the dealer’s minimum bet. Meanwhile, big blind bettors will have to pay the exact minimum amount. 

For instance, the minimum bet required by the casino is 6 credits. The small blind bettor will have to pay 3 credits. Meanwhile, the big blind bettor needs to wager 6 credits. Other players won’t have to pay for these bets to partake in the game. 

Using blinds to advantage

Based on the general description of the blind, it’s clear that it’s an expensive place to be in. Fortunately, there are ways for you to make the most out of your situation. By using the following tips, you can use the blinds to your advantage:

Big blinds

Should you find yourself in the place of a big blind, you’ll have to pay for a bigger wager. That’s why you need to follow these helpful guides so you can make the most out of your money:

Accept that your blinds are no longer yours

Though it hurts to accept it, your big blind bet isn’t yours anymore once you’ve placed it—it becomes part of the pot. Acceptance is key once you’ve made a big blind bet. This is because if you don’t, you will find yourself making rash decisions to simply have it again. 

Stop over folding

Though you have to be mentally prepared to accept that your big blind is no longer yours, there’s still a good chance to win it back by making good decisions such as folding only when it’s necessary. 

While folding may help you save some of your money initially, it also stops you from winning your bet back. So it’s important to remember to only fold when you’re running out of chips or your cards are not an ideal set.

Analyze your competitors 

Another great decision to make is to analyze your competitors. For when you do, you will be able to adjust your move set to use their weaknesses, even their strengths, to your advantage.   

Small blind bets

Though small blind bets are not as big as blind bets, they’re still a great motivation to keep on playing so you can win the round. To do so, follow these helpful guides and win through small blind bets:

Don’t treat it as an investment you can gain back

Firstly, it’s best to know that you mustn’t over strategize to win back the small blind. This is because when you do, you’ll only be spending more on your upcoming bets rather than your initial one.

Use steals

When other players appear to be frequently folding throughout the rounds, consider raising while you’re playing within the small blind bet area. Once you’ve raised the bet as all your competitors have folded, the pot will automatically be awarded to you, regardless of your current card hand.

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