Setting the big blind and small blinds in poker is a crucial step before each hand begins, determining the initial forced bets that create action.
Understanding Blinds
Blinds are mandatory bets made by two players at the table before any cards are dealt. They ensure there is money in the pot to play for in every hand.
- Small Blind: The smaller of the two mandatory bets.
- Big Blind: The larger of the two mandatory bets, typically double the size of the small blind.
The size of the blinds is usually predetermined for a game or tournament level and increases over time in tournaments.
Standard Placement of Blinds
The placement of the small blind and big blind rotates around the table with the dealer button. The reference explicitly states the standard setup:
The small blind is placed by the player to the left of the dealer button and the big blind is then posted by the next player to the left.
Here's a breakdown:
- Dealer Button: This button indicates the nominal dealer position for the hand. This position is last to act in later betting rounds (the flop, turn, and river).
- Small Blind Position: The player immediately to the left of the player with the dealer button posts the small blind.
- Big Blind Position: The player immediately to the left of the small blind player posts the big blind.
This rotation ensures that every player eventually has to post the blinds, creating a fair system.
The Heads-Up Exception
While the standard placement applies to games with three or more players, there's a specific rule for games involving only two players, known as "heads-up" play. As noted in the reference:
The one exception is when there are only two players (a "heads-up" game), when the player on the button (the dealer) is the small blind, and the other player is the big blind.
In a heads-up game:
- The player with the dealer button posts the small blind.
- The other player posts the big blind.
This setup still maintains the principle of forced bets before the hand. The player with the button acts first pre-flop but last post-flop, while the big blind player acts last pre-flop but first post-flop.
Blind Placement Summary
Here’s a quick overview of blind placement:
| Game Type | Small Blind Player | Big Blind Player |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Player to the left of the button | Player to the left of the small blind |
| Heads-Up | Player on the button (the dealer) | The other player at the table |
Understanding these rules is fundamental to playing poker, as the blinds influence pre-flop strategy and the dynamics of the game.
