Straddle definition is - to stand, sit, or walk with the legs wide apart; especially: to sit astride. How to use straddle in a sentence. Commonly Used Poker Abbreviations and Terms. Limp = Call the big blind (no raise) Open Limp/Raise = Be the first non-folding player to act. 3-Bet = A re-raise. 4-Bet = A re-raise of a re-raise. Light (ie 3-bet light) = Raising a hand you would'nt usually raise for value. Steal = An attempt to steal the blinds/limps.

Mississippi Straddle Poker
Texas Holdem Straddle Rules

The definition of straddling entirely depends on where you use the word. If you’re in a rodeo, the definition of straddling a horse is somewhat blah, but with all that bucking you’re going to be in for one hell of a ride. If you’re in an intimate situation with a loved one (wink, wink), the definition of straddling each other is far from blah, but you’re still going to be in for one hell of a ride! (pun intended)

In a poker room, ‘I straddle’ is often received with mixed emotions, but the definition is understood – ‘I straddle’ means I’m going to put up a voluntary blind bet and the action starts on my left. And like the other two straddles above, when you straddle in a game sometimes your stack will fall hard and sometimes your stack will, uh, rise. Whether or not the straddle is a profitable play depends on how well you understand it and utilize it.

The straddle is a minimum of double the big blind and when there’s no cap it sometimes can be a much, much larger blind. It’s also a blind raise that allows you to act last in that round where players wanting to enter have to at least call your blind raise, giving you the open to raise your blind raise, reraise a raiser, check, or fold. Confused? I hope not. PTP readers are savvy, educated players and should know the basics of the straddle. But knowing how to straddle doesn’t mean a savvy, educated player can do it right or will even straddle when it’s right to do so.

I’ve heard a lot of good players bash the straddle, using harsh qualifiers like ‘never’ and ‘only an idiot’ and ‘kills the game.’ That’s nonsense from haters. When used right, the straddle can be a very powerful weapon. Here’s the deepest look in to the straddle that I can provide in a column like this.

Types of straddles / Not a kill

Not all straddles are equal, not all straddles are legal and not all straddles are right. The straddle usually occurs in games with at least one forced blind, like Hold’em and Omaha. An important note: straddling is NOT the same as a kill. Kill games are used in limit poker (and sometimes pot limit), but straddles can occur frequently in no limit, limit, and pot limit games.

In a kill game, when the kill conditions occur, the winning player posts what looks like a straddle, double the big in full kill games, a bit less in half kill games, and the betting limits subsequently increase for that one hand. There is no trigger for a straddle, just a reckless player’s impulse and the conviction to speak on it. So, in a 10-20 kill game when the kill is in effect, you’d play 20-40 until the kill is off. During a kill pot, preflop, the player does have action to raise himself and sometimes he gets to act last. However, a kill is not a straddle; it’s just a larger big blind structure for the entire hand. A straddle’s monetary impact is only felt preflop. In a 2-5 no limit game, a player can conceivably straddle for $100 and then bet any amount $5 or larger on the flop, turn and river.

But first things first. The blinds can not straddle; at least not anywhere I think I’ve played. Never seen it but that doesn’t make it absolute. But for the most part, it’s best to believe the blinds can’t straddle.

The SECOND thing you need to know (and believe) is that despite players saying ‘straddling is a losing play’ or ‘straddling is just plain dumb,’ there ARE times when you are hurting your profitability by NOT straddling.

The THIRD thing you need to know about straddling is that the house rules. Some casinos allow straddles and some don’t. Don’t argue with the floor about changing their rule either, you’ll lose and probably look like an ass.

Some casinos put restrictions/conditions on me, the straddler:

is my straddle voluntary or forced?
how much can I straddle?
from what position can I straddle
who has the first opportunity to straddle?

Here’s the rundown of the most common house rules and some general considerations:

No Straddling Allowed – that’s pretty self-explanatory; most of the casinos in Las Vegas follow this rule and your house game might as well.
Straddling Allowed only from one position on the table – usually under the gun, sometimes on the button; if under the gun only, use very wisely and selectively; if on the button, use more liberally; generally, if a Las Vegas casino allows straddling, it’s UTG only; most East Coast casinos I’ve played in allow straddling UTG only, but times are changing.
Straddling Allowed any position (Mississippi Option) – generally, if the casino allows this, the button has the priority to straddle first and the option works counterclockwise, away from the blinds, with UTG having the last option; this is the way the Horseshoe Casino in Tunica ran most of their games when I was there last; if you find yourself in this type of game, consider straddling only on the button and the cut-off unless four-handed, UTG can be right; sometimes, sometimes! you can re-straddle the straddle, and that can be restraddled, and that can be restraddled all the way down the table; I’ve never seen it but I know it exists and sometimes happens, especially in Mississippi PLO games during the Poker Open.
Straddling Allowed Any Position (Indiana Option) – I’ve only seen Caesars Indiana offer this option, but others in the area will probably catch on. I think French Lick offers it as well; UTG has first option to straddle, then priority ‘magically’ goes to the button and works counterclockwise away from the blinds; treat this game just like the Mississippi Option (without the re-straddle option though), but if you attempt to straddle on the button and UTG wants to pull rank, don’t argue; he has first option anyway and you’ll be in great position in most likely a built pot.
Straddling Allowed but Capped – Most casinos that allow straddling put a cap on it, usually double the big blind. So if you’re in a game where the blinds are $2-$5, you can straddle to $10. It’s this way in Las Vegas, Tunica and most of the East Coast.
Straddling Allowed but NO Cap – I’ve only seen this in Indiana, not to say it’s not allowed somewhere in Mississippi or California. This option permits the straddler to make the straddle any amount they want to gamble with. In a tiny 1-2 NL game, I’ve seen $20, $50, and even $100 straddles! Most often, everyone folds or someone attacks it all-in with something like AK, AQ and even AJ (I’m not saying it’s right, just that I’ve seen it). If you can straddle with no cap, you really don’t want to go any larger than 3X the big; the stacks in the game hardly ever justify the much LARGER blind raise. I occasionally go 3X in games where the table is full of passive limpers preflop who play tight on the flop (I just hammer the flop when everyone misses or bet players off their draws on the turn).
Straddling MANDATORY – I’ve seen whole tables agree to change the game to a forced straddle, usually on the button or under the gun. In this case, it’s not really a straddle but more a third blind. Be careful, though. Just because every player is straddling and they tell you that you must DOES NOT mean it’s mandatory. Ask the dealer. Everyone just may be doing it and I’ve seen this happen. If you find yourself on a game where everyone just agrees to straddle, it’s probably best to do it as well. These guys are looking for action, don’t slow them down! The most ‘famous’ forced straddle is the Horseshoe Tunica’s ‘Rock,’ several chips rubber banned together to create a big, inseparable object of desire, usually in their infamous 20-40 limit game. It’s crazy, ‘The Rock’ is like the ring on Lord of the Rings, players go nuts for it. The ‘Rock’ enters the pot and if you win that pot, you put the ‘Rock’ up as the straddle and the action acts to your left, no matter where you are. I don’t get why people love the rock and seem to attack it preflop with raises and reraises, but when you win it, the pot is generally swollen.

Mississippi Straddle Poker

Impact on the game

(When considering the impact of a straddle on a game, assume we’re not talking about ‘The Rock,’ that’s a whole other article)

When you straddle, there will be a variety o

Poker Straddle What Does It Mean