# Straddle

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

## Definition
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.

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

## Related Poker Terms

- [Blinds](https://smarter.poker/glossary/blinds) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/blinds.md)): 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.
- [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.
- [Bomb Pot](https://smarter.poker/glossary/bomb-pot) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/bomb-pot.md)): A Bomb Pot Is A Special Hand In Which Every Player Puts An Agreed Amount Into The Pot Before The Deal And The Hand Skips Preflop Betting, Going Straight To The Flop. Bomb Pots Create Large Multiway Pots And Are Often Played With A Double Board, Where The Pot Is Split Between The Winners Of Each Board.
- [Effective Stack](https://smarter.poker/glossary/effective-stack) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/effective-stack.md)): The Effective Stack Is The Smaller Of The Stacks Between Two Players In A Hand, Because Nobody Can Win Or Lose More Than That Amount From The Other. If One Player Has 300 Chips And The Other 80, The Effective Stack Is 80. Strategy Depends On Effective Stacks, Not The Size Of Either Player's Own Stack.

## Related Strategy Lessons

- [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

- [Club Commander](https://smarter.poker/hub/commander): Live Poker Room Waitlists, Game Boards And Tournament Clocks.
- [Club Commander Guide](https://smarter.poker/features/club-commander): Feature Specification For Cardroom Waitlists And Tournament Clocks.
- [Poker Near Me](https://smarter.poker/hub/poker-near-me/lobby): Find A Live Poker Room And Its Games.
- [Poker Near Me Guide](https://smarter.poker/features/poker-near-me): Live Poker Room And Tournament Discovery Specification.

## 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.