Ante in poker - This is one of the types of blind bets that many beginners may simply not be familiar with. Instead of antes, the blinds are most often used - for Hold'em, this format of depositing money into the pot is more familiar and traditional. But we will tell you exactly about the ante - about what this bet is, how it is formed, and has some kind of strategic importance for the player.
What are random bets
In general, all bets in the poker hand are divided into several types - blind and live. The first ones are mandatory for each participant in the game, their contributions (the size and procedure for replenishing the bank) are determined by the rules of a particular poker discipline and the poker room itself. Voluntary rates - this is, most likely, an expression of the will of the player himself, a strategic decision to show his hand strength, willingness to continue further, sometimes - one of the ways to replenish the bank for a future win or the opportunity to frighten off other opponents with a large bet.
Blind bets - mandatory. The poker players make them even before the distribution has begun. This is a kind of guarantee that the distribution will not end in vain. If this option were possible, then in this case the site (poker room) would very often remain in the red and would not earn anything.
There are two types of blind bets in poker disciplines - antes and blinds. The latter are often found in Hold'em. They provide for a mandatory deposit to the pot from only two players. These two rates differ from each other in size - one is twice the size of the other. Subsequently, more often than not, the blinds also determine the maximum limit of the game bet on the subsequent streets of the distribution.
Poker blinds they also determine the playing position - these players place their bets last after preflop, which significantly strengthens their position and increases the chances of a successful outcome of the hand even with a relatively weak hand.
The main difference between antes and blinds is that all players pay them before the game starts. The size of the ante is a certain part of the minimum bet on subsequent streets of distribution (as a rule, one tenth or one fifth of the subsequent size of the minimum contribution to the pot).
Purpose of ante payment and the concept of bring-in
Why do poker rooms accept antes? Let's say there are five poker players in the game, each making his own mandatory contribution to the bank. After that, cards come out preflop, and fewer players will think that they can immediately fold their hand - after all, they have already made their contribution to the bank, and they do not want to lose money.
As a rule, under the blind system, the players who formed the pot at the first stage enter the game with a wider range of handsgiving odds to weak combinations. And the point is not only in the position at the table - the fact that the poker players have already made their bets, and it is easier for them to take risks than to lose their money, plays an important role.
The same thing works with antes - only all the participants in the party are inclined to take risks.
If the following positions with the blinds and the order of contributions to the bank are clear, how are the positions of the players determined in the hands, where the initial bank is formed from the ante? This order directly depends on the poker discipline itself in which the ante is used.
In Seven-Card Stud (traditional High), the player with the smallest face-up card at the moment will go first; in Razz-poker, the poker player with the strongest face-up card will start the round.
Speaking of the ante in poker, it will be relevant to touch on the concept bring-in... Traditionally, the question arises, if all representatives make a blind contribution at one moment, then who then goes first after the distribution? Each type of game has its own characteristics and individually approaches the resolution of the issue that has arisen.
The player who, according to the rules of discipline, must move first, makes bring-ing - this is half of the minimum bet in the current hand. After the bring-in, the poker player moves next, who sits to the left of the starting player.
As you can see ante in poker Is not just a blind bet, but also an incentive to make the game more profitable and intense.
