Newcomers to live poker may find poker straddles to be perplexing. This article will explain what poker straddles are and whether or not you should ever straddle.
What is a straddle in poker?
A voluntary blind wager placed by a player before cards are dealt is known as a poker straddle. By straddling, a player effectively buys the large blind and doubles the stakes.
A conventional straddle is two times the big blind, although it can be bigger if the regulations of the poker facility allow it.
Let's imagine you're playing live No-Limit Hold'em for $2/$3 at a live casino. The under-the-gun player places $6 in chips in front of them before the deal begins, and the dealer says “straddle” or “live six.” That's a $6 straddle, which is two times the huge blind in this scenario.
The purpose of a straddle, as you may have guessed, is to raise the stakes of a poker game. You have to call $6 instead of $3 to see a flip, which can cause the pot to rise tremendously.
The preflop betting round is played as if the under-the-gun player were in the large blind when the under-the-gun player straddles.
In this situation, the player to the straddler's left is the first to act preflop. That player has the option of call, raise, or fold the $6 bet. The action then moves around the table, with the player who is under the gun being the last to act. The action resumes as usual in all postflop betting rounds.
Most poker venues will only allow you to straddle from the under-the-gun position, but others will let you to straddle from the button and other positions as well.
There are also poker venues that allow for double, triple, or even quadruple straddles. If the player on the direct left straddles for $6, for example, the player on the under-the-gun can double straddle for $12, and this can escalate even more before the cards are dealt.
Why Is It a Bad Idea to Straddle in Poker?
When a player straddles, his or her overall expected value (EV) in that hand decreases.
This occurs because you're placing a blind bet with an unknown hand, which goes against all of the rules of a successful poker strategy. In poker, hand selection is critical, especially from early positions such as under the gun.
In many casinos, the straddle is only allowed from under the gun, which is the position where the tightest hand selection is required for a winning strategy. You don't want to gaze down at hands like 7 2 or J 3 while putting out an under-the-gun straddle.
Blind raises lose a lot of money in No Limit Hold'em because most hands should be folded before the flop.
In terms of the number of big blinds, straddled hands also cut stacks in half. In a $1/$3 game, $300 is 100 big blinds, but when a $6 straddle is used, it drops to 50 large blinds. The $6 straddle works as the big blind, effectively changing the game into a $1/$3/$6 game.
Playing with a 50 big blind stack necessitates a completely different approach to opening hands and postflop play, which can lead to some tricky situations at the poker table.
When Is It Appropriate to Straddle?
The straddle is not a play to be used lightly, and it's completely acceptable to never begin one. However, in the following situations, straddling may be advantageous.
1. If you're at a table with a lot of loose players. If you have numerous opponents that are prone to calling loose preflop and then folding to aggression postflop, straddling could be a successful strategy. You may employ the straddle to build a large preflop pot, then take advantage of passive opponents with aggressive postflop bets with this table dynamic.
The disadvantage of multiway straddled pots is that you'll have to make hefty bets after the flop because the preflop pot is already huge. This is not a plan for the faint of heart.
2. If everyone is straddling at the same time. If you're seated at a table where everyone is straddling in turn around the table, it's probably advisable to do the same when it's your turn.
On the plus side, you'll be playing at a meaty, action-packed table with plenty of chances to win money. The disadvantage is that if you're not used to playing games like this, you might feel out of place.
3. If every single person is a nit. Your straddle may be the spark that ignites the activity at a tense table. Perhaps you can get an advantage by forcing nitty players out of their comfort zone.
But be warned: it's far better to avoid straddling altogether than to do so frequently.
What Effect Does a Poker Straddle Have on the Game?
In poker, several players straddle in order to get more activity at the table. In actuality, though, straddling frequently results in a tighter overall table dynamic.
The straddle, by its very nature, forces players out of their comfort zones, especially those who are unfamiliar with the game. A straddle in poker might frighten even the most experienced online players, as the move is almost exclusively used in live cash games.
Many players may fold mediocre to decent hands like lower pocket pairs and suited connectors when a straddle is in play. By playing behind a straddle, these hands are moved from the RFI range to the calling or three-betting range.
Mississippi Straddles & Button Straddles
Some poker venues allow players to straddle from any position, while others allow it just from the button. A Mississippi Straddle is the name for the latter.
Preflop activity is altered by these types of straddles.
Let's pretend the button in this $1/$3 game put out a $6 straddle. Preflop action will begin with either the under-the-gun player or the small blind (on the button's direct left) depending on the house rules. Calling for $6, raising, or folding would be the options for the first player. If no raise was made, the action would continue around the table, but the button player would be skipped.
Assume that the player who is under the gun calls the $6 after the cards have been dealt. The action shifts to the cutoff player, who also calls. The action would skip the button in this case, proceeding from the cutoff to the small blind. If neither blinds raise, the button will act last, having the choice to check or raise the $6 bet.
When a player in front of the button straddler raises, the button player returns to his or her normal position in the betting round, with the choice to call, re-raise, or fold the raise.
Last Thoughts
The straddle is a difficult idea to establish a strategy for, yet it's an important aspect of the live poker experience. In general, it's ideal not to initiate a straddle, but it's important to understand how it works when other players do.
