THE BLINDS

The BLINDS in the poker game are called “small blind” and “big blind”. Big blind has to put the minimum of betting chips into the game before the dealer deal the cards to the players at the table, “Small blind” is called small because in this position you have to invest the half Big blind. You are practically at this position already blind in the game without seeing your starting hand cards.

Since the players in the small and big blind positions must invest chips before seeing their hands (starting cards) it is quite common to see a large raise from the button position when all other players have either folded or only called. This common practice in tournaments is known as “Steeling the Blinds”. This kind of playing is more used to the end of the tournament when the blinds are already high and you have to think twice before you call a bid raise.

If there is nobody at the table involved in the present game/hand and only small blind is calling the big blind, this situation is called “Battle of the Blinds”. There are only these two opponents left playing the actual hand.