A Straddle

What is the meaning of a straddle bet in Poker?

Straddle in poker is a bet made by a player that is higher than the blind bet in the game. A straddle bet in any given game can be twice the blind bet or even higher.

The main advantage for the person making a straddle bet is that he can gain control of the game as all the players from his left will have to either call or match the value set by the straddle. Some purist players don’t like straddle bets, saying that it’s a random shot made in the dark. That is why Straddle is an option at PokerMagnet.com. If you like playing straddle bets, you can choose to play the tables that offer auto-straddle.

When to straddle?

Straddle if you have a very good hand. Having a good hand and making a straddle bet will increase your chances of winning the pot. Since you have a pretty good hand to play with, other players will have to match your amount or fold the game.

Most of the players succumb and fold up if they do not have a good hand. Thus, you can use this strategy to close out other players.

By straddling you gain the attention of all the players and demonstrate great confidence. If you want to show that you are bold and serious, straddling is the way to go.

The disadvantages of a straddle bet

• Straddle bets raise the stakes. Straddling often may make you unpopular with players who join a lower stake table to maximise the number of hands they play. If you are doing it to merely raise the stakes and the size of the pot, you might want to try going to a table with higher stakes instead. After all, having lots of options 24×7 is one of the reasons to play poker online!
• You can get caught if you do not have a good hand, and are merely bluffing.
• A player having a better hand than you can steal ‘your’ pot from under your nose.

Tips to play a straddle bet

• Straddling once in a while is acceptable if you want to convert a great hand to big bucks, but do not make it a habit.
• Apply it only if you are sure of winning.