THE BUY-IN
In Games in which a dealer button is used. button games, a non-playing dealer normally does the actual dealing. A round disk called the A player who is in the designated dealer position. button is used to indicate which player has the dealer (1) The relation of a player\'s seat to the blinds or the button.
(2) The order of acting on a betting round or deal. position . The player with the A player who is in the designated dealer position. button is last to receive cards on the initial deal and has the right of last A fold, check, call, bet, or raise. For certain situations, doing something formally connected with the game that conveys information about your hand may also be considered as having taken action. Examples would be showing your cards at the end of the hand, or indicating the number of cards you are taking at draw. action after the first betting round. The A player who is in the designated dealer position. button moves clockwise after a deal ends to rotate the advantage of last A fold, check, call, bet, or raise. For certain situations, doing something formally connected with the game that conveys information about your hand may also be considered as having taken action. Examples would be showing your cards at the end of the hand, or indicating the number of cards you are taking at draw. action. One or more A required bet made before any cards are dealt. blind bets are usually used to stimulate A fold, check, call, bet, or raise. For certain situations, doing something formally connected with the game that conveys information about your hand may also be considered as having taken action. Examples would be showing your cards at the end of the hand, or indicating the number of cards you are taking at draw. action and initiate play. Blinds are posted before the players look at their cards. Blinds are part of a player’s The act of placing a wager in turn into the pot on any betting round, or the chips put into the pot. bet , unless the structure of a game or the situation requires part or all of a particular A required bet made before any cards are dealt. blind to be “dead.” Dead chips are not part of a player’s The act of placing a wager in turn into the pot on any betting round, or the chips put into the pot. bet . With two blinds, the In a game with multiple blind bets, the smallest blind. small blind is posted by the player immediately clockwise from the button, and the The largest regular blind in a game. big blind is posted by the player two positions clockwise from the button. With more than two blinds, the little blind is normally left of the A player who is in the designated dealer position. button (not on it). A fold, check, call, bet, or raise. For certain situations, doing something formally connected with the game that conveys information about your hand may also be considered as having taken action. Examples would be showing your cards at the end of the hand, or indicating the number of cards you are taking at draw. action is initiated on the first betting round by the first player to the left of the blinds. On all subsequent betting rounds, the A fold, check, call, bet, or raise. For certain situations, doing something formally connected with the game that conveys information about your hand may also be considered as having taken action. Examples would be showing your cards at the end of the hand, or indicating the number of cards you are taking at draw. action begins with the first active player to the left of the button.
RULES FOR USING BLINDS
1. The minimum bring-in and allowable raise sizes for the opener are specified by the poker form used and blind amounts set for a game. They remain the same even when the player in the blind does not have enough chips to post the full amount.
2. Each round every player must get an opportunity for the button, and meet the total amount of the A required bet made before any cards are dealt. blind obligations. Either of the following methods of A player who is in the designated dealer position. button and blind placement may be designated to do this:
(a) Moving A player who is in the designated dealer position. button – The A player who is in the designated dealer position. button always moves forward to the next player and the blinds adjust accordingly. There may be more than one The largest regular blind in a game. big blind .
(b) Dead A player who is in the designated dealer position. button – The The largest regular blind in a game. big blind is posted by the player due for it, and the In a game with multiple blind bets, the smallest blind. small blind and A player who is in the designated dealer position. button are positioned accordingly, even if this means the In a game with multiple blind bets, the smallest blind. small blind or the A player who is in the designated dealer position. button is placed in front of an empty seat, giving the same player the privilege of last A fold, check, call, bet, or raise. For certain situations, doing something formally connected with the game that conveys information about your hand may also be considered as having taken action. Examples would be showing your cards at the end of the hand, or indicating the number of cards you are taking at draw. action on consecutive hands.
[See “Section 16 – Explanations,” discussion #1, for more information on this rule.]
3. A player posting a A required bet made before any cards are dealt. blind has the The choice to raise a bet given to a player with a blind. option of raising the pot at the first turn to act. Although chips posted by the big blind are considered a bet, this option to raise is retained if someone goes all-in with a wager of less than the minimum raise.
4. In Only two players involved in play. heads-up play with two blinds, the In a game with multiple blind bets, the smallest blind. small blind is on the button.
5. A new player entering the game has the following options:
(a) Wait for the The largest regular blind in a game. big blind .
(b) Post an amount equal to the The largest regular blind in a game. big blind and immediately be dealt a hand. (In A draw game where the lowest hand wins. lowball, a new player must either post an amount double the The largest regular blind in a game. big blind or wait for the The largest regular blind in a game. big blind .)
6. A new player who elects to let the A player who is in the designated dealer position. button go by once without posting is not treated as a player in the game who has missed a blind, and needs to post only the The largest regular blind in a game. big blind when entering the game.
7. A person playing over is considered a new player, and must post the amount of the The largest regular blind in a game. big blind or wait for the The largest regular blind in a game. big blind .
8. A new player cannot be dealt in between the The largest regular blind in a game. big blind and the button. Blinds may not be made up between the The largest regular blind in a game. big blind and the button. You must wait until the A player who is in the designated dealer position. button passes.
9. When you post the The largest regular blind in a game. big blind , it serves as your opening The act of placing a wager in turn into the pot on any betting round, or the chips put into the pot. bet . When it is your next turn to act, you have the The choice to raise a bet given to a player with a blind. option to To increase the amount of a previous wager. This increase must meet certain specifications, depending on the game, to reopen the betting and count toward a limit on the number of raises allowed. raise
.
10. A player who misses any or all blinds can resume play by either posting all the blinds missed or waiting for the The largest regular blind in a game. big blind . If you choose to post the total amount of the blinds, an amount up to the size of the minimum opening The act of placing a wager in turn into the pot on any betting round, or the chips put into the pot. bet is live. The remainder is taken by the dealer to the center of the pot and is not part of your The act of placing a wager in turn into the pot on any betting round, or the chips put into the pot. bet . When it is your next turn to act, you have the The choice to raise a bet given to a player with a blind. option to To increase the amount of a previous wager. This increase must meet certain specifications, depending on the game, to reopen the betting and count toward a limit on the number of raises allowed. raise .
11. If a player who owes a blind (as a result of a A required bet that is not posted when it is your turn to do so. missed blind) is dealt in without posting, the hand is dead if the player looks at it before putting up the required chips, and has not yet acted. If the player acts on the hand and plays it, putting chips into the pot before the error is discovered, the hand is live, and the player is required to post on the next deal.
12. A player who goes When you have put all of your playable money and chips into the pot during the course of a hand, you are said to be all-in. all-in and loses is obligated to make up the blinds if they are missed before a rebuy is made. (The person is not treated as a new player when reentering.)
13. These rules about blinds apply to a newly started game:
(a) Any player who drew for the A player who is in the designated dealer position. button is considered active in the game and is required to make up any A required bet that is not posted when it is your turn to do so. missed blinds.
(b) A new player will not be required to post a A required bet made before any cards are dealt. blind until the A player who is in the designated dealer position. button has made one complete revolution around the table, provided a A required bet made before any cards are dealt. blind has not yet passed that seat.
(c) A player may change seats without penalty, provided a A required bet made before any cards are dealt. blind has not yet passed the new seat.
14. In all multiple-A game which utilizes a blind. blind games, a player who changes seats will be dealt in on the first available hand in the same relative (1) The relation of a player\'s seat to the blinds or the button.
(2) The order of acting on a betting round or deal. position . Example: If you move two active positions away from the The largest regular blind in a game. big blind , you must wait two hands before being dealt in again. If you move closer to the The largest regular blind in a game. big blind , you can be dealt in without any penalty. If you do not wish to wait and have not yet missed a blind, then you can post an amount equal to the The largest regular blind in a game. big blind and receive a hand. (Exception: At A draw game where the lowest hand wins. lowball you must kill the pot, wait for the same relative (1) The relation of a player\'s seat to the blinds or the button.
(2) The order of acting on a betting round or deal. position , or wait for the The largest regular blind in a game. big blind ; see “Section 11 – Lowball,” rule #7.)
15. A player who "deals off" (by playing the A player who is in the designated dealer position. button and then immediately getting up to change seats) can allow the blinds to (1) Decline to bet. In a pass-and-out game, this differs from a check, because a player who passes must fold . (2) Decline to call a wager, at which point you must discard your hand and have no further interest in the pot. pass the new seat one time and reenter the game behind the A player who is in the designated dealer position. button without having to post a blind.
16. A live “straddle The act of placing a wager in turn into the pot on any betting round, or the chips put
into the pot. bet " is not allowed at limit poker except in
specified games.