Poker777

[sleuthy]

Ok so I am a self confessed newbie to the game of poker, I want to play but feel rather silly as I have no idea what I am doing, I have the basic idea of the game but can someone please explain to me in more detail what the blinds are? Thankyou.

[aussiegirl]

I am in the same boat as you are, I am also new to poker and I don't really understand the blinds either, all that I can tell you is that they are posted each hand, there is a small blind and a big blind, and that one person posts the big blind and the person next to them (sitting beside them going in a clockwise direction I think) then posts the small blind.

[PrettyInPink]

The names themselves state the obvious, the big blind amount is larger than that of the small blind. Also usually, the small blind is half the value of the big blind. This means that if the Big blind was $10 then the small blind will usually be $5.

[3kings]

Blinds are "Forced Bets" in texas hold em. There is a small blind and a big blind. The person who is sitting immediately clockwise from the dealer is responsible for posting the small blind, the person who is sitting next to this person continuing in the clockwise direction is then responsible for posting the big blind. The size of the blind depends on the limits of the game you are playing. Players sitting in these positions MUST post the blinds or else they simply won't be dealt any cards.

[aceshigh]

Here is an example for you:
If the game you are playing is a texas hold em game $2/$4 limit game then the small blind would be $1 and the big blind would be $2. And don't be confused in a casino, the one person is the actual dealer of the cards, the casino employee, the blinds are posted by the two people sitting beside in a clockwise direction the person with the Dealer Button.

[samantha88]

Do you have to post blinds in all the different limit styles of texas hold em, pot limit, no limit and limit? Or is it just for one specific type? Are there any times where you won't be required to post the blinds? Are there any advantages or disadvantages to posting the blinds and also are there any strategies which could be used in conjunction with the posting of the blinds?

[aussiegirl]

Since the blinds are as stated above "A forced bet" which you are forced to make when it is your turn to do so or else you won't get any cards, so because of this I am guessing that all those styles of hold em, limit, no limit and pot limit, all need the blinds to be posted to get your cards otherwise forfeit your seat in the game until the next hand starts, and then if you were meant to post the big blind and sat out then I guess you would have to sit this one out as well because you would be required to post the small blind in this round because the blinds move around the table in a clockwise direction. So ultimately if for whatever reason you really didn't want to post any blinds at all then you would have to sit out for 2 consecutive hands, and other players and the dealer would surely figure out what you were up to and they probably wouldn't be too happy with you for it either.