Dodger Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Was looking at the Boss house rules where it says ''Straddle bets are not allowed''. Yes, well, what the hell is a straddle bet...so the internet comes to the rescue with the following... ''A Straddle Bet is made by the player immediately after -- and to the left of -- the Big Blind. The action must have just passed to him, meaning it is his turn, or he is Under The Gun, and no one has gotten any cards yet. Which makes it an unusual time to bet, actually. If he now posts a Straddle Bet he is effectively posting an additional blind bet. The house rules of poker must allow straddles; not all do. The next player after him must call it, raise, or fold. If, going around the table, no one raises, including the Blinds, then the person who posted the straddle may be allowed to reraise his own bet on his next turn; this is called his Option. In this instance, his straddle bet may be called a Live Blind, because his blind bet is still "live" when the action returns to him. House rules differ, some offering Live Blinds and others don't. Anyway, for that player, posting frequent straddle bets can be very expensive and downright unfruitful, unless the purpose is to loosen up a table of tight players.'' Never heard of this before, so again I must ask the experienced ''live'' players amongst us...do most casinos allow this and is it used very often? Doesn't make much sense to me unless you were very short stacked and fancied getting plenty of blind chips into the pot. Also if it is a no limit game...can UTG go all-in blind? This lack of knowledge about ''live'' play is making me think hard and long about venturing into a casino. (All this Straddling and Toking the Dealer...it just sounds disgusting to me!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valiant23 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! Never used them in any game I've played in Dodger. :unsure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmuzeman Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! (All this Straddling and Toking the Dealer...it just sounds disgusting to me!) :lol Why is it disgusting. You gota remember all these things been around for donkeys years before net poker came along. Yeah straddling is commonplace in cardrooms. It is certainly the sort of thing youd find in a local cardroom on the cash tables anyway. I dont know if they are a regular feature of your typical 1/2 game in vegas but theyll be about as an option I would think. The straddle is just a bet that acts as 2x the BB. So in a $1/$2 game the player that is usually UTG posts a straddle bet of $4. When the action comes round to them they have the option to do whatever just like the BB normally would. A straddle is posted prior to the hand being dealt, so you cant see you have AA and then straddle for example! The basic idea of straddling is to get some action into a game. The opening raise will be larger as there is a straddle and there is just more initial money in the pot from the off encouraging people in etc. It loosens up a game and gets more gamble into it. Its just like a fun thing to induce action. Do any of you watch High Stakes? They straddle in that sometimes (Farha and Elezra love a good straddle - ooh er). Sometimes people at a table will agree to all straddle. Sometimes some people want to, others dont - that is fine there is no obligation they are not obligatory bets like blinds are. If you sit in live cash games you will encounter straddling sooner rather than later but its not a thing that happens every hand or anything at all dont worry, vast majority of the time there will be no straddling about. Youll know if a straddle is on its way youll hear the cry of 'STEEEEERADDLE'! If things get really wild you can even have super straddles and round and round we go! It has been known for every player at a table to straddle before :lol Rare but it can happen in a crazy game. (Basically normal 1/2 blinds, then 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 etc etc all blind before a hand is even dealt!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger Posted March 7, 2007 Author Share Posted March 7, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! Thanks tons mrmuzeman :ok It's amazing what things you come across while perusing the internet, attempting to gain little snippets of information and advice about poker. It's a long learning process, but at least I have this forum to help me along. :clap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valiant23 Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! Mrm? Just suppose UTG straddles for $4... and the dealer puts out so much junk that everyone folds. ;) :tongue2 Who takes the blinds? BB or UTG? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tax_Monkey Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! Mrm? Just suppose UTG straddles for $4... and the dealer puts out so much junk that everyone folds. ;) :tongue2 Who takes the blinds? BB or UTG? I think it would be UTG as the BB will not have matched his bet.:unsure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Bomb Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! Yup, UTG takes it. The only time I straddle is in a 1/1 game because there's no real pot building. Straddling works better in PLHE as well, since it allows a bigger raise when you have a hand. It's really a pot building exercise. I know in Aspers there's a limit to a double straddle only, so in the 1/2 games, the opening bet can be £8. Fantastic if you pick up a monster and want to raise the pot. You can raise it to £31 total if you're first to act instead of £7 total if it's simply SB/BB. Anyway, it doesn't harm the game and, as I said, can make it better when you pick up big hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosco Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! I think someone did this to me at the recent race meet in Birmingham. Staddle Bet I mean. I had never seen it was explained to me. Another player raised and it just ended up costing him money. Try it for fun at a live event some time see what reaction and confusion it causes post results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heniek31 Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! Yes Rosco. This macho-know-it-all sitting next to you did it few times. At the time, I didnt know whats that all about :lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmuzeman Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! Mrm? Just suppose UTG straddles for $4... and the dealer puts out so much junk that everyone folds. ;) :tongue2 Who takes the blinds? BB or UTG? UTG is no longer UTG as such, hes straddled so he is like the 'new' big blind so he would collect the chips. I dont think in the history of the human race anyone has ever all folded round to a straddle though. I cant speak for Alien races but id imagine the same would apply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staffy Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! I was playing in a live game once in Walsall. Cash game £1/£2. SB posted. BB Posted. There was then a straddle bet of £4. There was another straddle bet of £8. There was then another straddle bet of £16. Then I folded :lol cant remember what I had but was never going to get involved with that shite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Football-Tipper Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! I do it all the time in Vegas it really fooks off the locals...All you are doing is taking the BB away from the BB so you are left with the option...But the straddle can also be straddled...... Its done to get the betting going and quite a few people take offence to it for some reason....You have to announce live straddle b4 the cards are delt and put in the minimum raise.. Football Tipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Football-Tipper Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! Yes Rosco. This macho-know-it-all sitting next to you did it few times. At the time, I didnt know whats that all about :lol. You doughnut it was me that did it to you..... Think I straddled you twice.. OOO errrr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAM Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! I staddled Ubermonkey in Vegas at 3am in the palace Then we went for a game of poker But seriously I do it on a tight table, its amazing to watch them all fold and if you get a caller he folds to a pot bet after the flop :ok As FT said you have to do it blind before the cards are dealt but it is amazing how many people still read it as strength, especially at 3am in a Vegas casino :beer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suebrugge Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! I'd echo most of what's been said above. The main reason is to get a bit more action going on a tight table - and is certainly of most use in a Pot Limit game where you otherwise wouldn't be able to raise the pot sufficiently (certainly in early position) to shake anyone off a hand thereby increasing the chances that the flop is going to hit someone else who has stayed in with rags. However it can get a bit crazy when you've got several straddles going on (which although is not entirely commonplace is certainly not unheard of) and a 1/2 game is now costing you $16 or $32 to even see a flop - before anyone has seen their cards remember :loon - Great fun too though when you're in the right mood :ok Never really thought about it until now, but can't say I've ever seen an online card room that has allowed this - no idea why that would be :unsure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubermonkey1 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! brian kept straddling me in vegas:eek :eek :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Football-Tipper Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! I $hit you not I have seen solid players muck cards in dissgust at the sight of a live straddle bet. Like Bri said people see it as a strength bet for some reason..How I have know idea as ur doing it in the blind..I just do it for a laugh really :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger Posted March 8, 2007 Author Share Posted March 8, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! To be honest, when I posted this up, I fully expected to be told that maybe this used to happen in US but has not been seen for years...or something on those lines. Quite amazed to learn that it is very much alive and kicking all over the place...can't wait for the next time we have a family game...have they got something coming to them then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dik9 Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! Straddles are only used In Pot Limit games, As explained it is double the BB "under the gun" and that can be re straddled by the player to the immediate left and so on doubling each time, and that blind is live, meaning everyone must call that bet to stay in the game, if no one has raised the live straddle bet now has the option to raise. The point of it is to build the pot and buy the right to speak last in the pre flop stage. In no limit the person UTG can "bet in the dark", as much as they want, but if called there is no option to raise. Quite frankly IMO it is a silly bet unless short stacked to induce callers with marginal hands. There is a bet that is not very well known called a sleeper bet, this is not used very often, and i would be surprised to see a newer TD accept this bet or even know what it is. In effect it is a straddle bet from any position but the bet is not live. eg blinds £1/£2 the sleeper can be £4 from any position.......it's a pot builder thats all........so if you want to blow your local casino's brains out and confuse all the internet and newer players, go for it......but don't be surprised if the bet isn't taken as they won't know what you are on about:ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmuzeman Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! Straddles are only used In Pot Limit games In no limit the person UTG can "bet in the dark", as much as they want, but if called there is no option to raise. Those statements are not actually true although straddles are more 'regular' in pot limit I guess. You can still have them in NL no problem though and they do happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Football-Tipper Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! Those statements are not actually true although straddles are more 'regular' in pot limit I guess. You can still have them in NL no problem though and they do happen. True if you watch high stakes poker on TV you will often see the live straddle in action aswell :ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dik9 Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! I am just saying in the UK and most of Vegas you will not find a casino that will allow a live straddle in no limit, None of the casino's I have TD'd in will allow it as there is no point to it apart from giving the live straddle an advantage when chipstacked I have yet to see a HSP game with a LIVE straddle, I have seen bets in the dark, could you youtube me a link if you remember a particular game, as i would find it very interesting and useful to know. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Football-Tipper Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! http://www.bankrollbacker.com/high-stakes-poker-season-3-episode-8-4.php :ok Football Tipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Football-Tipper Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! Here is a live double straddle.. $100 ante $300/$600 $1200/$2400 http://www.bankrollbacker.com/high-stakes-poker-season-3-episode-6-5.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger Posted March 10, 2007 Author Share Posted March 10, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! ...and I thought I knew how to play poker! That second clip throws up another question...no, I'm not questioning the sanity of raising $60,000 pre-flop with Q2o...after the original raiser folds to the big raise and the pot is done, he asks to see the flop in any case and the dealer deals the flop onto the table. Obviously this doesn't happen in online poker and (yet again) surprised to see that the dealer reveals more of the cards AFTER the game is finished. So...is this normal practice, or should the dealer normally refuse to show what cards WOULD have hit AFTER the game has died? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Football-Tipper Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! A deal has to be done with the table Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dik9 Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! Cheers for the links very interesting, but at the start of the episode, it sounded like there was a vote going on whether they would be excepted. The majority 5 - 3 agreed, in this particular case, isn't it just a case to see who has the biggest cock? If it were a rule, why would they have to vote? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Football-Tipper Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! Aslo some times they will play the turn and river twice, Flop stays the same and the turn then river shown and then done again if the players win 1 each its a split pot, and if one player wins both he wins the pot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dik9 Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! ...and I thought I knew how to play poker! That second clip throws up another question...no, I'm not questioning the sanity of raising $60,000 pre-flop with Q2o...after the original raiser folds to the big raise and the pot is done, he asks to see the flop in any case and the dealer deals the flop onto the table. Obviously this doesn't happen in online poker and (yet again) surprised to see that the dealer reveals more of the cards AFTER the game is finished. So...is this normal practice, or should the dealer normally refuse to show what cards WOULD have hit AFTER the game has died? It is called Rabbit hunting, here are various rules on it: RABBIT HUNTING. Rabbit hunting--asking the dealer to show the next card even though an unmatched wager has been made and the hand is over--is prohibited. (Alternate Rule. Rabbit hunting shall be permitted by contributing one minimum betting unit to the next pot, dead money. Second Alternate Rule. Rabbit hunting shall be permitted, however if this permission is abused then the privilege of rabbit hunting shall be revoked. Where rabbit hunting is permitted the card shall not be shown until all live hands have been surrendered to the dealer.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Football-Tipper Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Re: Straddle Bets...oh boy! Cheers for the links very interesting' date=' but at the start of the episode, it sounded like there was a vote going on whether they would be excepted. The majority 5 - 3 agreed, in this particular case, isn't it just a case to see who has the biggest cock? If it were a rule, why would they have to vote?[/quote'] Well later on you see one of them not post the straddle which upsets some of the table...I presume that if you are posting the straddle in such a high stakes game you want it off everyone, Sane poker players wouldnt do it but the gambler would I also remember that in that instance the play had been quite tight for a while and Sammy just wanted to get things moving a little.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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