Poker blinds are the foundation of any poker game. In cash games and tournaments, blinds are a necessity that every player at the table has to contribute. Blinds keep the game and action flowing at the poker table.
If you are new to poker, the concept of blinds may be difficult to understand. However, learning about poker blinds is a must before playing any poker game for money.
Not knowing what blinds are in Texas Holdem is similar to going into sports betting without knowing what a point spread is. You aren’t going to make many friends at the poker table if you sit down and don’t know what Texas Holdem blinds are.
Before you buy into a poker game at online poker sites, it is imperative to scan through and find stakes that work for you. It will all make more sense in a few minutes.
What is a poker blind? And, how do they work? Let’s get into all of the details of Texas Holdem blinds in our poker lesson for today.
What Are Blinds In Poker?
Poker blinds in Texas Holdem are a mandatory contribution to the pot at the beginning of each hand. Two players are required to make this compulsory bet into the pot before the hand proceeds. The game can’t be played without the blinds.
Regardless of how many players are in the game, Texas Holdem blinds will need to be inserted into the pot by two players. The two players responsible for the blinds will change after every hand.
The player sitting immediately to the left of the dealer button is responsible for the small blind. The big blind must be placed by the player to the left of the small blind player.
Poker blinds ensure that there are always chips in the pot. The process encourages more players to participate in hands instead of waiting for premium cards. Since all players at the table have a turn, there is no advantage or disadvantage to poker blinds.
After every hand, the Texas Holdem blinds will shift one spot clockwise.
Example of Poker Blinds in Texas Holdem:
- $0.05/$0.10
- $1/$2
- $5/$10
- $25/$50
- $250/$500
- $1000/$2000
These are a handful of examples of stakes that you will encounter at online casinos. The higher the blinds, the higher the stakes.
The smaller dollar amount is always the small blind, while the larger number is the big blind in poker.
What Are Small Blinds in Texas Holdem?
The player on the small blind sits to the left of the dealer button. As its name suggests, the small blind is the smaller of the two poker blinds that must be inserted into the pot.
In online poker, the small blind can be as little as a penny. However, if you go to a land-based poker room at a casino or card room, the small blinds are going to generally start at $1.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are high stakes’ online poker games with small blinds that reach $1000 or more. These poker games are reserved for the high rollers.
It is easy to find what the small blind of each game is online. At Ignition Casino, look at the top bar in the menu and find the heading labeled “stakes”. Under the “stakes” tab, you can see the blinds for each game that is available to play.
The smaller of the two numbers is what is referred to as the small blind. Following the flop, the small blind player is always the first to act in every betting round.
What Are Big Blinds in Texas Holdem?
In addition to the small blind, the big blind has to be played. The player to the left of the small blind has the honor of putting the big blind into the pot.
They will then be responsible for the small blind in the next hand. The clockwise cycle ensures that the player who is currently on the big blind will be responsible for the small blind in the following hand.
The big blind is the largest forced bet in the game. No one wants to play the big blind, but it is a common rule enforced in every Texas Holdem poker game.
If you believe that the big blind is too large, then you shouldn’t be playing at these stakes. Consider moving down in stakes to a more comfortable level for your bankroll.
What Happens After The Blinds Are Posted?
All of the Texas Holdem players at the table will have an opportunity to act before the flop. The player to the left of the big blind is the first to decide to call the big blind, raise the big blind, or fold.
To see the flop, players must call the big blind. However, if someone raises, then this will be the minimum bet required to go to the flop.
If a player decides to raise the big blind, the player who contributed to the big blind will be the last to act. They can fold their hand but will lose their blind without going to the next betting round.
Blinds In Poker Tournaments
Blinds in cash games are a fixed amount. So, if you join a $5/$10 cash poker game, the blinds will remain $5 for the small, and $10 for the big blind throughout the game.
Although, in tournaments, the blinds will continue to increase as the event progresses.
The stakes in poker tournaments are determined by a buy-in fee and not the blinds. You buy into a poker tournament, with the blinds structure pre-determined to start.
The majority of tournaments will open with 50/100 blinds. The starting stack for each player in tournaments is roughly 100 to 200 times the starting big blinds.
As the tournament proceeds and players bust out of the event, the blinds will gradually increase. Conservative players that do not get involved in pots will eventually lose based on the increasing blinds.
Tournament players are encouraged to play with a more aggressive approach or they risk blinds being their biggest enemy.
Maximizing Poker Blinds at Online Texas Holdem Sites
It is important to play at safe online poker rooms with various stakes and tournaments. Most poker players have a goal of moving up in stakes to the top. Therefore, signing up at an online poker site that has low and high stakes is ideal.
Additionally, you want to play where you know that your money will be safe. A nice sign-up poker bonus to start playing Texas Holdem for free wouldn’t hurt, either. At the Ignition Casino poker room, you can get all of the above and much more.
Blinds at Ignition Casino range from pennies all the way up to high stakes levels. There are stakes for everyone in their online poker room. If you are new to poker, we suggest starting with low blinds.
Additionally, Ignition Casino has weekly freeroll tournaments. In freerolls, poker players will not have to pay a buy-in fee to enter the tournament. This is great for newcomers and anyone that wants to play for fun. Get started at Ignition Casino with a number of convenient deposit options today.
After you have made your first deposit, all poker players are eligible for a 150% welcome bonus of up to $1,500. As an added comp, Ignition Casino is currently running the same free cash bonus to play their casino games for a total of 300% of up to $3,000 in free credits.
