Re: Poker terminology?

[mikee_j]

whats a straddle bet?!?


heard the commenters on high stakes poker mention it but didn't explain what it is?!

[stallyon]

correct me if im wrong but isnt a straddle bet where you put some chips into the middle and then go back for more of your chips to bet with on the same bet

[ACE2M]

straddle is just the person next to the bb doubling the BB before anyone sees their cards so now that is the amount to call to stay in a hand.

I like 'hi jack' which is the seat before the cut off.

[AndrewT]

correct me if im wrong but isnt a straddle bet where you put some chips into the middle and then go back for more of your chips to bet with on the same bet

No, that's a string bet.

A straddle is an optional bet by the player UTG. He can bet twice the big blind before the cards are dealt. This is usually done for two reasons - the player is essentially buying the right to act last pre-flop, and it can also loosen up a tight table.

[AndrewT]

I like 'hi jack' which is the seat before the cut off.

I've seen this term quite a bit recently, and it seems to be a new term.

I think a mission for Blonde out in Las Vegas should be to make up a term for the seat to the right of the hijack and get it popularised. Something silly like 'suitcase' or 'handlebar'.

'Hellmuth raises from the handlebar, but AndrewT pops him from the hijack and makes Hellmuth fold' etc.

[mikee_j]

ok, does it only qualify as a straddle bet if no-one has looked at their cards and if the player UTG has not looked at his/her cards?

[mikkyT]

I think it's also any sort of verbal or physical "angle-shooting". You often see a guy say "oh well, let's gamble" (pre-flop) then stand up & puit his coat on, as if to leave. You almost KNOW that the rascal has AA.....

You flopped the nut flush, and by the time the river comes around, and its checked again to you, you sigh and say "well someones got to bet it". Then get a rubdown from two of the most stuck up sour faced women in the place because they called, even after muttering "bet hes got the flush". Hey if you want to call with your non-nut straight thats not my fault!

[mikkyT]

What is the definition of a bad beat?

This irritates me intensly, I wouldn't consider for example AK v AQ with the Q hitting a bad beat, thats just poker as they say. For me its something like Runner Runner flush or straight or opponent hitting flush with only one of that suit in their hand if you are well in front.

What does eveyone else think?

A bad beat, well..... ask newmanseye hes pretty good at telling them sort of stories. But an obvious bad beat is holding a top set and being called by someone holding either a draw of some form WITHOUT having the odds to call for it, or more likely, middle or bottom pair with a backdoor draw - like runner runner to a flush or gutshot straight.

[mikkyT]

whats a straddle bet?!?


heard the commenters on high stakes poker mention it but didn't explain what it is?!

Straddle.... this you don't see in tournaments (its not allowed) - but it is doubling the big blind before any cards are dealt. In effect you are buying the blind for yourself as you get the option to raise after you straddle, just as the big blind does.

[mikee_j]

whats a straddle bet?!?


heard the commenters on high stakes poker mention it but didn't explain what it is?!

Straddle.... this you don't see in tournaments (its not allowed) - but it is doubling the big blind before any cards are dealt. In effect you are buying the blind for yourself as you get the option to raise after you straddle, just as the big blind does.

makes sense now why i've never heard it before, seeing as there aren't many cash games shown on tv and i don't play live cash games!

thanks

[Sheriff Fatman]

No, that's a string bet.

A straddle is an optional bet by the player UTG. He can bet twice the big blind before the cards are dealt. This is usually done for two reasons - the player is essentially buying the right to act last pre-flop, and it can also loosen up a tight table.

Straddles seem to be more suited to limit hold'em than PL or NL and I've seen them frequently in cash games in the US but not over here.  You'll usually find someone posting a straddle in a drunken low limit cash game in Vegas and, as Andrew says, its basically a blind raise made before the cards are dealt by the player UTG.

I think that straddles in Vegas are limited to the UTG position.  However, I had a conversation with a guy on a poker cruise last year who said that the straddle rules vary from state to state where poker is played in the US.  Potentially, if you ever venture futher afield than Vegas you may find yourself in a game where straddles (and re-straddles) are allowed from any postion at the table!

Most straddles are 'live' which means that they give the player making them the right of last action on the opening betting round.  This also applies to some kill and half-kill games I've played in Vegas, where you don't necessarily have the kill in the UTG position but you still get the right to act last.

If anyone is wondering, a 'kill' is a mandatory straddle made when you fulfill certain conditions in a kill game (usually winning two pots in a row in a holdem game or scooping a pot in Omaha Hi/Lo).  Many games in Vegas are advertised as, say, $5/10 with a kill (or sometimes half-kill) which means that they're playing this rule.  If you win a pot in holdem, making you a potential kill poster if you win the next hand, you'll be given a kill button for that hand so that the dealer can track when a kill needs to be posted.  Its good fun and it makes for some big pots as the stakes are essentially doubled for the kill hands.

You can play kill games on a few sites, most notably UB.

Sheriff

[mikkyT]

Straddling the straddle is common in the cincinattis cash game, particularly if myself, michael and the mad toasty eater are sat next to each other.

[ACE2M]

i've seen the straddle plenty in walsall around festival time and seen it move through three or four people so it's suddenly 32 to play.

[Royal Flush]

i've seen the straddle plenty in walsall around festival time and seen it move through three or four people so it's suddenly 32 to play.

In Blackpool they have got it to 512 before!!!

I was in a game last year in Blackpool with River Dave, JP and At-It, they kept re-straddling, was amusing, evrey hand £64 to go!

[tikay]

i've seen the straddle plenty in walsall around festival time and seen it move through three or four people so it's suddenly 32 to play.

In Blackpool they have got it to 512 before!!!

I was in a game last year in Blackpool with River Dave, JP and At-It, they kept re-straddling, was amusing, evrey hand £64 to go!

Which, of course, totally ruins a good game, ruining the skill quotient in favour of Mr Billy Deep-Pocket.