In a vacuum, straddle is a -Expected Value (EV) play. 80% of the players shouldn’t straddle and the other 20% of the players should only straddle 20% of the time.
What is a Straddle in Poker?
A poker straddle is a voluntary blind bet made by a player before cards are dealt. A player who straddles is effectively buying the big blind and doubling the stakes.
Most players should have a basic understanding of what straddling is, there are the standard straddles, BTN straddles and Mississippi straddles. In this article we will just go over the standard 2BB straddle that takes place UTG in LIVE NL Game.
Here are the 80% of the pool that shouldn’t straddle
- An average/losing player, not a good idea to straddle.
- Short stack.
- Players with no table Awareness (Can’t identify who to target)
- Being the only person or two that straddle unless you are running very hot. Winning over 50% of the pots.
I would not argue with anyone that straddling is a bad idea that no one would ever straddle. Straddling is a choice and for most poker players voluntarily putting additional poker chips will not be profitable in the long run. Yes players can just go to the games with higher stake, however the bigger game do not always offer by the casino/card room and playing bigger game does not accomplish the same goal as straddles.
Straddle is not the third blind.
Straddle is an option for you to put yourself into the position of third blind, you can evaluate the table dynamic such as stacks sizes and players before you decided if you op-in as third blinds or not.
Continue reading if you think you might be the other 20% of the players or curious on why some poker players even the winning ones straddles besides the reason just to gamble. You might even gain an additional tool in your tool box to help increase your hourly rates and help tilt the battlefield in your favorite.
So here are the reasons on why a poker player should straddle.
- Target the blinds
In vacuum, straddle is -EV play and guess which positions are also -EV when UTG straddles? Is the blinds especially the BB, besides the minimum 1 extra bb to enter the pot, BB also lost the chance to act last PF. These -EV distribute to the rest of the tables in later positions, you have to evaluate and see if you can capture the most of this.
Isolate the player (fish, bad reg, rec tourist….) two seats to your right you wish to target. Since you are straddling you should be a winning poker player (following the rules so far that only the 20% of winning players should straddle), a friendly tourist thats here to see flops with some money sitting to your right (Or you picked that seat and table just to sit on his left). This player just want to have a good time, giving out bad beats and add a story to tell from this trip. You want this isolation dance with this player that is having a good time.
By straddling and making the BB twice its size, you have effectively raised the bar of entry to this dance. There will be less players willing to limp 2BB vs 1BB or do a standard raise of 8BB(4x2BB) vs 4BB(4x1BB). In a vacuum people play the same when there is a straddle, but the fact is that in live poker people view the straddle as in a bigger game therefore their range is tighter. For this tourist there that you are targeting, there is no different for him to check his BB or just call the straddle. Only thing he want is to do is to see three cards on the flop and hit his magic top pair. Also when you mentioned something cool like “straddle?” the fun tourist typically 100% will do the same, since the rec are here to gamble and have a good time. Increasing the stakes by straddling is a way of doing that and promoting actions.
- Punish the Nit.
Do you care about playing with Nits on the table? Typical nits, playing with short stacks, limp with top 15%, call with top 10%, raise with top 5%. Currently if I got a nit in any of my two right seats, in any average situation, I am straddling.
I don’t care for them, I enjoy taking their blinds. One thing I dislike is table limped to a nit in BB, they check get a free flop, hit like a two pairs or straight, double up and sit there all night without playing another hand. So by straddling, now they are not seeing free flops and typically Nits would call the 1extra bb for the straddle but no no no, when I straddle they never get to see a flop for 2 bb. Not factoring other limpers, if just straddles vs the blinds, I am raising 99% of the time. (I am sure there was a time I am busy something else and just checked it). If I sense there are other limpers that are trapping, I am checking with my marginal hands.
This is just a general rules, there are some aggressive nits that would adjust to the straddles, in that case if is not working for you, then stop straddling. There are good player in any style type, there are great nits that are long term winners, no reason to target them.
- Protection from Maniacs.
Buying the last action PF by straddling. How many times you have ATs, 77… wants to see a flop, you raise to standard 4BB and a maniac at CO raised to 25BB, you have a hand that you want to play, now is not worth to set mine and you just have to let it go. The maniacs then shows his favorite hand 84s. You want to play with maniacs but at a reasonable price without limping.
Instead being UTG, now in straddle you are sitting at a position where you can call the Maniac with a playable hand or even wake up with a monster and build this pot up to play for stack before it gets to the flop.
Straddle is 2BB, There will be time that you have to fold over and over, however the price to get in a hand with a Maniac with a strong hand with a reasonable price is a price worth to pay.
In a favorable table, I usually straddle in these situations
- Nit or Fun Rec to my right
- Maniac I want to target at the table.
Putting more money on the table
Typical 8 handed table, there are 1-2 winning player. If you believe you are one of them, up in the session and able to encourage other players to straddle, absolute do it. This will increase your HR rate.
Stop Straddling
When there is a shit reg that target straddles. Players that I dislike is the majority of players straddle and the reg that play often don’t. I am fine with player not straddling however you can tell they are just in the game to target the stradders. The table is fun, half of the rec at the table are straddling. Those shit reg would come up with reasons like they can’t afford it or they are losing and they will be the only one not straddling. However they would raise big often to squeeze all the straddles. Is a fine play, just adjust your play by not straddling anymore.
PS reg likes that that takes all the fun I don’t see them as winning players, they often do other shady stuff and end up getting stacked. I don’t mind playing with them, just in the content of straddling.
Be a good straddler don’t
If you choose to straddle, it is imperative that you do not force other players to straddle as well. I will typically ask that they do so once, but I never insist.
It is also ill-advised to force yourself to straddle. Even when all conditions seem favorable, if the cards are not running in your favor and you are losing, stop straddling.
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Random thoughts – Writer’s corner
I had a conversation with a successful poker friends who is interested in increasing his hourly rate. I was surprised that he was opposed to the idea of straddling, but when I explained my reasons, he agreed it could be a useful tool. I had the same conversation with a few other winning players, and they had the same initial reaction. So I decided to write this article to expound upon my reasons for straddling and to see what others think.
Downswing is real, my last sessions, someone called my 3bets with 75s and I had AA. Flopped 975, got stacked. Jammed AKo into 2 LAG/Maniac got called QTo/77, Never saw an A or K. 7 on the river.