Straddle

An optional blind bet, usually twice the big blind, posted before the cards are dealt.

Last updated October 16, 2026

What it means: A straddle is a voluntary extra blind. In the usual form the player under the gun puts in twice the big blind before seeing their cards, which doubles the stakes for that hand. Whether straddles are allowed, and from which seats, is a house rule.
How it is calculated: Before the flop the straddler acts last, in place of the big blind, and anyone who wants to play must call the straddle or raise. After the flop the order is the normal one, so the straddler is usually out of position.
Worked example: In a 1/2 game the player under the gun straddles to 4. The cheapest way in is now 4, an open raise is nearer 12 than 6, and a 200 stack that was 100 big blinds deep is only 50 straddles deep.
Why it matters: A straddle makes every stack shorter measured in the new blind, so ranges should play like a shallower game. Posting it means betting blind from an early seat and then playing out of position, which usually costs the straddler chips.