The purpose of straddling

[bocketboy]

I'm just watching some cash poker on challenge and I've seen these guys placing a straddle bet. Can anyone tell me why they do that? Is it to encourage action or is there some sort of advantage to be gained by doing it?

[Ironside]

with a live straddle they get the option to raise after the big blind has acted preflop its often used by people who cannot play well in deep money to shorten the stacks relative to the pot
it can also disguise a hand as the straddler is now the person in blind

[bocketboy]

Thanks Ironside.

I get the point about the straddler holding the option to raise and also the disguise aspect. However, I don't fully understand the shortening the stacks relative to the pot element of your answer - think that's probably too sophisticated a concept for me to appreciate.
Don't forget you've seen me play (or attempt to play, would be a more accurate description) 6 card omaha - so would it be possible for you to simplify that part of your response (if that's possible).

[Bainn]

Sophisticated ? ! ?  From the dyslexic Perry Mason inpersonator, you are kidding right ?

[Ironside]

ok your playing 1/2 holdem with 1000 in front of every player so there is 500bb infront of everyone and is deepstack poker allowing alot of play pre and post flop

if you were playing with only 100 in front of you its now 50 bbs some people still think of this as deep stack as you can still make a reraise on the flop without commiting your whole stack

sp your playing with 100 and the blinds are 1/2 and UTG puts in a live straddle making it 4 to call the staddle which has in effect become the blind so you have 25 bbs infront of you this is in effect taken alot of play out of he game any reraise of the flop would basically commit you to the pot and there for taking away the advantage of the skillfull player who can play down the streets and makes it more of a luck game

sorry if that doesnt make sence but i aint the best writer in the world


as for your 6 card omaha game your only mistake was letting chunky nowab and barry nev's loose play make you play loose too
the more cards you get the tighter you should become trying to get a co-ordinated hand

[AndrewT]

By straddling you're essentially doubling the stakes of the game. This does halve the effective stack sizes, but I don't think that's the main reason.

What it does do is encourage players to enter the pot with lesser holdings (because someone's already min-raised UTG blind), a pot which is inflated because it now costs twice as much to enter. A straddler who then decides to drop the hammer and force people out a) has a better chance at getting people to fold (as they've got crappier cards than they may otherwise have) and b) will win more when they do.

It also loosens a tight table up. Out in Vegas last year I became a huge fan of straddling. If you're sat there chugging down the free beers and straddling every chance you get, getting action when you have a big hand is not a problem...

[Woodsey]

By straddling you're essentially doubling the stakes of the game. This does halve the effective stack sizes, but I don't think that's the main reason.

What it does do is encourage players to enter the pot with lesser holdings (because someone's already min-raised UTG blind), a pot which is inflated because it now costs twice as much to enter. A straddler who then decides to drop the hammer and force people out a) has a better chance at getting people to fold (as they've got crappier cards than they may otherwise have) and b) will win more when they do.

It also loosens a tight table up. Out in Vegas last year I became a huge fan of straddling. If you're sat there chugging down the free beers and straddling every chance you get, getting action when you have a big hand is not a problem...

[/b]

Thats the best reason to do it. Try and create an image as a gambler and then catch them with the nuts.

[thetank]

Straddling can help loosen up the image.

Straddling can help push the rocks out of their comfort zone.



These aren't the reasons I sometimes straddle though, more fringe benefits. I loosen up my image by playing more hands and talking a lot, I try to push rocks out of their comfort zone by raising frequently pre-flop and betting frequently after.

When I do straddle, it's in a situation where there is a very loose player in the game who is the complete fish, he is the total hi-fi, have a giggle in the toilets, value. All the rocks are eyeing him up like he's the chap who's going to pay their rent.

Oftentime I feel this live one is losing interest in the game, some muppet may have given him an earful for the latest outdraw, or maybe he's just lost yet another big pot, but mostly it's just a vibe you sense. I may start straddling then to create a better gambling enviroment.

The last thing I want is for him to get up and leave, he's supposed to be paying my rent. I'm not good enough to beat these rocks after he goes, I want the eeeezzzzy money. Straddling says look at me, I'm throwing money about too, I'll be your friend, you arn't being picked on here.....honest.

[thetank]

I'm more likely to straddle short handed, as the game is in danger of breaking up, so more incentive to get it going again.

Also, if you're 4 handed with the fish to your right, only the rocky button needs to fold for you to have post flop position on your straddle.

[Boba Fett]

Straddling is great for pot limit as it means you can put in a decent raise if you get something UTG

[ACE2M]

People will play very sub par hands against a raise from the straddler, who it is assumed is just protecting his straddle with a pre flop raise. I always straddle and double/triple straddle as the action created is well worth it. Same reason i raise every unopened pot in a dealers choice game for the first 1/2 hr or so. Gets the money moving and eventually it will move your way if you play well.

Straddling when stacks are short is essential imo, you often end up with a pure mathematical decision for all your chips pre flop, making your hand easier to play.

[Eyeofsauron]

If you want action, you have to give a little action yourself.

[bocketboy]

Thanks for all the answers guys - interesting stuff.

A further thought - does straddling only apply to cash games. I've played a few tourneys - and seen a fair few on TV too - and I've never come across it there, so I'm presuming it doesn't happen/isn't permitted. If that's the case does anyone know why not - because surely the same principles would still apply - i.e. aiming to loosen the game up and promote action.

[Ironside]

some comps allow a straddle i first witnessed it in a local £20 rebuy comp where on the first hand one guy was all in blind in a straddle

[tikay]

some comps allow a straddle i first witnessed it in a local £20 rebuy comp where on the first hand one guy was all in blind in a straddle

...but generally, no, "straddles" are for Cash Games only.