Basic Poker Betting Rules
Like most sites dedicated to other games like blackjack where you can find the info on blackjack rules and blackjack data in addition to the selected sites we provide you complete guide to online poker.
Ante bets
This is the type of compulsory bet made by all the gamblers before the cards are dealt. According to poker betting rules ante is often equal to the amount of the lowest bet in the game or smaller. Ante bet is posted with the aim to form the original pot and stimulate other gamblers to stay longer in the game and wager more into the pot. These bets are usually applied in the stud and draw poker versions and are as a rule not used in the poker games with the blinds. Though, the use of both types of bets is possible at some poker tournaments.
Antes are regular in poker variations in which the dealer changes each turn. This simplifies much the betting process however can be a bit unfair if some gamblers entered the play or missed the turn to deal. Such players sometimes are to place post (read below).
Blind bets
This is the type of compulsory bet posted by some of the gamblers before the cards deal. It is also the way to encourage to stay in the game and compete for pot. In most of poker versions there are commonly two blind bets: small and big. Small blind bet is posted by the first gambler at the dealer’s left and is often the half of the big blind. Big blind is made by the second gambler to the dealer’s left and is equal to the lowest betting amount determined by the betting rules. Such blinds structure is standard for Hold’em poker although it is may be used in Omaha. Three-blind structure is also possible. In this case according to the poker betting rules the first blind bet must be placed by dealer.
Bring-in
As the basic poker betting rules state bring-in is also the obligatory bet placed before the players act but after the cards deal. Bring-in is commonly placed by the poker player who holds the highest or lowest value of the card dealt to each player face up. Bring-in is applied to open betting round in the poker games with the antes rather than the structured blinds. For example, in stud poker Bring-in is assigned to the player that has the worst face up card in the first betting round. The size of bring-in is the same as the minimum betting amount though in the fixed-limit and some spread-limit poker versions it is commonly the half of this amount.
Post
In some poker betting rules variations the new poker player thet joins the game in progress must post which means to make bet equal to the big blind bet or the min betting amount. The player that missed to make the blind for some reasons (was not at the seat) also must post after he or she returns to the play. The gamblers that anyway happen to place the big blind bet are not to post.