# Blinds

> Source: [Blinds in the Smarter.Poker Glossary](https://smarter.poker/glossary/blinds)

## Definition
Blinds Are Forced Bets Posted Before The Cards Are Dealt By The Two Players To The Left Of The Button: The Small Blind And The Big Blind, Which Is Usually Twice As Large. Blinds Create A Pot Worth Fighting For On Every Hand. Stakes Are Named After Them, So A 1/2 Game Has A 1 Small Blind And A 2 Big Blind.

- **Category**: Basics
- **Term Code**: `blinds`
- **DefinedTermSet**: [Smarter.Poker Poker Glossary](https://smarter.poker/glossary)

## Related Poker Terms

- [Dealer Button](https://smarter.poker/glossary/dealer-button) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/dealer-button.md)): The Dealer Button Is The Marker That Shows Which Player Acts Last In Each Betting Round After The Flop. It Moves One Seat To The Left After Every Hand, And The Blinds Are Posted By The Two Players To Its Left. The Button Is The Most Profitable Seat At The Table Because It Plays Every Postflop Street In Position.
- [Straddle](https://smarter.poker/glossary/straddle) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/straddle.md)): A Straddle Is An Optional Blind Bet, Usually Twice The Big Blind, Posted Before The Cards Are Dealt By The Player To The Left Of The Big Blind. It Doubles The Stakes For That Hand, And The Straddler Acts Last Before The Flop. Many Rooms And Clubs Also Allow Button Or Mississippi Straddles Under House Rules.
- [RFI (Raise First In)](https://smarter.poker/glossary/rfi) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/rfi.md)): RFI, Short For Raise First In, Is The First Voluntary Raise When Every Player Before You Has Folded. RFI Ranges Widen As The Position Gets Later: A Player Under The Gun Opens A Tight Range, While The Button Can Open Close To Half Of All Hands Because Only The Two Blinds Remain To Act Behind.
- [OOP (Out Of Position)](https://smarter.poker/glossary/out-of-position) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/out-of-position.md)): Out Of Position, Or OOP, Means Acting Before Your Opponent On Each Postflop Street. The Out Of Position Player Gives Information Away First And Has Less Control Over The Size Of The Pot, Which Lowers The Value Of Every Hand. The Blinds Play Most Pots Out Of Position, Which Is Why They Defend Tighter Than Their Price Suggests.

## Related Strategy Lessons

- [Small Blind Opening Range, 6 Max](https://smarter.poker/learn/small-blind-opening-range) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/small-blind-opening-range.md)): In The Smarter.Poker 6 Max Cash Reference At 100 Big Blinds, The Small Blind Opens 20.7% Of All Starting Hands By Frequency And Plays 33% Of Them At Least Some Of The Time, With The Full Chart Below.
- [How To Defend The Big Blind](https://smarter.poker/learn/big-blind-defense) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/big-blind-defense.md)): Against A 2.5 Big Blind Button Open The Big Blind Needs Only 27.3% Equity To Call, And The Smarter.Poker Reference Defends By Three Betting 7.2% Of Hands And Calling 11.2%, With The Full Chart Below.
- [M Ratio And Short Stack Play](https://smarter.poker/learn/m-ratio-and-short-stacks) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/m-ratio-and-short-stacks.md)): M Measures How Many Orbits A Stack Can Survive Without Playing A Hand: A Stack Of 12,000 With Blinds Of 400 And 800 And An 800 Big Blind Ante Has An M Of 6, Which Is 15 Big Blinds And Short Enough To Play Push Or Fold.
- [How To Play In Straddle Games](https://smarter.poker/learn/straddle-games) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/straddle-games.md)): A Straddle Is A Voluntary Blind Raise Before The Cards Are Dealt, Usually Twice The Big Blind, And It Makes Every Stack Effectively Shallower: 100 Big Blinds Facing A 2 Big Blind Straddle Is Only 50 Straddles Deep.

## Practice On Smarter.Poker

- [GTO Training](https://smarter.poker/hub/training): Scenario Based Poker Training, Free To Play.
- [GTO Training Games Guide](https://smarter.poker/features/poker-training-games): Explore 107 Interactive Scenario Drills And EV Feedback.

## Compliance & Fair Play

There Is No Real-Money Gambling On Smarter.Poker: Club Chips Are Play Credits With No Cash Value, And Diamonds Are A Promotional Rewards Currency.