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Staddle Options in a live cash game
The amount of straddling and the specific rules for straddling in a cash game varies from cardroom to cardroom. Sometimes, the table will agree to do a round of straddles or have it as regular part of the game. While I’m not a big fan of straddles, I will go along with the table consensus.
At one of my local cardrooms there is an unusual rule that you can straddle from any position. It is not limited to the player left of the Big Blind. The preflop action starts to the left of the straddle and the straddler has the option to raise if nobody else has raised. For example, at the $3/$5 game, LJ could put out a $10 straddle. Action would start with HJ. If everyone just folded or called, LJ would have option to raise.
It is now common to have a “Winner’s” straddle. The winner of the previous hand would then post the $10 straddle. This creates a dynamic where the position of the straddle can be anywhere from one hand to another.
Last week I got seat at newly opened table. After playing a few rotations, a player suggested that the table do straddles. Two options were presented to the table for a vote.
1) Traditional straddle left of the Big Blind
2) Winner’s straddle
I’m curious what others think of these options.
Which one would you vote for and why?
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1 Reply
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Assuming that the choices don’t include “I’m not straddling”, a Winner’s straddle seems to be the more “fun” of the two options. Kinda like an old fashioned “kill button”.
Straddles are negative Ev plays, so I’m generally not a fan. The games (home games) I play are generally tough enough without dumping money needlessly. Further, there’s almost never any lack of action, so adding a straddle to spice up the game really is just an excuse to gamble. Our 1-1 game generally plays like a 2-5 game, sometimes higher depending on who up.
For a tighter game, a winner’s straddle would increase the action of a game, while adding an element of bloody mindedness by forcing the winning player to straddle blind. Adds an element of twisting the knife into the game, kinda like mandatory slow rolls.
All in good natured fun.
Honestly, I can’t really think of any other reason anyone would want to straddle. But forcing a winner to bet blind, that’s a completely different kettle of fish.
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