A straddle is an optional blind bet posted before the cards are dealt, usually twice the big blind. It acts like a third blind: the straddler gets to act last before the flop, and everyone else has to call at least the straddle amount to play.
How a straddle works
In a $1/$2 game, the player to the left of the big blind (under the gun) puts out $4 before the deal. Preflop action now starts with the player to the straddler’s left, and the minimum raise is to $8. The straddler acts last preflop and can check or raise if nobody else raises.
Types of straddle
- UTG straddle: the standard version, posted under the gun.
- Button straddle (Mississippi straddle): allowed in some casinos; the action starts with the small blind.
- Re-straddle: a player to the left posts double the straddle again, if house rules allow.
Rules vary between casinos, so ask the dealer before you straddle.
Should you straddle?
A straddle is a blind bet you post without seeing your cards, out of position after the flop. Over time it loses money for most players. It also makes everyone’s stacks effectively shallower, which reduces skill edges. Straddling is mostly done to create action and a bigger game.
Playing against a straddle
Treat the game as if the stakes doubled: your stack is now half as many big blinds. Tighten up slightly, raise bigger (about 4–5 times the straddle with limpers), and adjust your bankroll for the higher variance. Log straddled sessions separately in the poker tracker so they do not distort your $1/$2 win rate. More terms in the poker glossary.