The main point of blind bets, like the small blind and big blind, is to add value to the starting pot and incentivize other poker players to play their starting hands. Texas Hold’em, Omaha, 5-Card Draw, and many other poker variation card games all use small blinds and big blinds. The other player contributes the big blind. In a heads-up game (a poker game with only two players), the player with the dealer button also contributes the small blind. In most poker games, the small blind is valued as half of the minimum bet for the poker table, but each casino or poker tournament reserves the right to set the value of all minimum bets and blinds. The other is the big blind, which is played by the player two seats to the left of the dealer. The small blind is one of two mandatory bets played before the start of the game. The small blind is a mandatory bet that the first player to the left of the dealer button plays before seeing their cards. Read on to learn everything you need to know about small blinds, how and when to play them, and important strategies to keep in mind during your next game.

One of those forced bets is the small blind. Whether you prefer to play poker in live games or prefer online poker, you’re going to encounter a few different types of forced bets.

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