Poker
Poker blinds
Blinds are mandatory bets placed by two players before any cards are dealt in flop-style poker games, creating an initial pot and ensuring there is action from the start.
- Number of blinds
- Usually two (small blind and big blind), but can range from none to three.1
- Big blind amount
- Equals the minimum bet; in a $2–$4 fixed-limit game, the big blind is $2.6
- Small blind amount
- Normally half the big blind; in the same $2–$4 game, the small blind is $1.6
- Heads-up rule
- The button posts the small blind and the other player posts the big blind.4
Key points
- Blinds are live bets posted before cards are dealt, so later players must at least call the big blind to stay in the hand.2
- In tournaments, blinds increase at set intervals, forcing players to act and preventing stalling.3
- The small blind is typically half the big blind, though exact ratios vary by game structure.5
- Heads-up play reverses the usual order: the dealer (button) posts the small blind, not the big blind.4
Common blind structures
| Game type | Small blind | Big blind |
|---|---|---|
| $2–$4 fixed-limit hold'em | $1 | $2 |
| $1–$2 no-limit hold'em | $1 | $2 |
| Tournament (early level) | 25 | 50 |
| Tournament (mid level) | 100 | 200 |
How blinds work in a typical hand
- The player to the left of the dealer posts the small blind; the next player posts the big blind.
- Cards are dealt to all players.
- Action starts with the player to the left of the big blind (pre-flop) and proceeds clockwise.
- Each player must call the big blind amount (or raise) to continue; the blinds themselves are already live bets.
Common questions
How do poker blinds work?
Blinds are forced bets posted by two players before each hand. The player to the dealer's left posts the small blind, and the next player posts the big blind (usually double the small blind). These bets create an initial pot and ensure there is something to play for. After the deal, the player to the big blind's left acts first.
Where this term is used
Related terms
Sources
- Blind (poker) en.wikipedia.org Provides the definition of blinds and their role in flop-style poker.
- Betting in poker en.wikipedia.org Details the betting structure including blind posting rules.
- Poker tournament en.wikipedia.org Supports the claim that tournament blinds increase at set intervals.
- Texas hold 'em en.wikipedia.org Explains heads-up blind assignment and tournament blind increases.
- ROBERTS RULES OF POKER pagat.com Gives the standard blind amounts and the rule that blinds are live bets.
- Card Games: Poker Betting pagat.com Supplies the $1 small blind / $2 big blind example for fixed-limit.
Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.