Straddling

Ecomdan · Jul 14, 2009

Whenever I play live cash games it seems like every other pot has a live straddle on. I've never seen it on any poker sites though, how come they don't have the option to straddle? I think it could only help increase action and their rake so why not?

OzExorcist · Jul 14, 2009

I'm guessing the instantaneous dealing at online sites has something to do with it.

Live, players are making the straddling decision / actions while the dealer is shuffling. That's all good because it's dead time anyway.

Online though, that gap in time doesn't exist - within seconds of a hand finishing, the next one is dealt and you've seen your cards. They'd probably have to implement an extra ten-second period where UTG decides whether they want to straddle or not, which would just slow the game way down. It'd be even slower if you then had to allow UTG+1 a chance to re-straddle.

Chances are that slowing in the action would negate any increase in rake the sites might get from the slightly increased action.

white_lytning · Jul 14, 2009

Yeah, id say what Oz said.

To be honest though, most casinos don't really allow them. I can't think of one in AC or Vegas that does. Its usually the Indian reservations.

It would be cool to see a poker site with that option. The best tables to sit at at are the ones with 3 or 4 guys that straddle. Action action action.

konawajim · Jul 14, 2009

akaCLINT said:
interesting..., now i hve to look up straddling...

aC

Hmmmmmmm, I also am looking it up

JohnnyFronts · Jul 14, 2009

white_lytning said:
Yeah, id say what Oz said.

To be honest though, most casinos don't really allow them. I can't think of one in AC or Vegas that does. Its usually the Indian reservations.

It would be cool to see a poker site with that option. The best tables to sit at at are the ones with 3 or 4 guys that straddle. Action action action.

I havent been to a card room in vegas that doesnt allow straddling...

Either way I don't find it beneficial to be a lone straddler, however if the whole table agrees then I will agree also.

LOL @ blind raises when only 1 straddle is allowed... Last night at my local $1-$2 game everyone agreed to play a round of straddles w/ 1 blind raise and i had just scooped a huge pot so i agreed. I end up being the first blind raiser, everyone limps and the straddle checks. I peel back 9dTs.

Flop is 9c9sTc.

3 streets of value from a pair+draw that gets there. Shipitobv.

OzExorcist · Jul 14, 2009

akaCLINT said:
interesting..., now i hve to look up straddling...

aC

Can maybe save you the trouble - straddling is when the player to the left of the big blind puts in a bet twice the size of the big blind before they see their cards. It effectively becomes a third blind and that player acts last on the preflop betting round. Their hand is still "live", which is what distinguishes a live straddle from a blind minraise.

It's generally done to encourage action at a table, which is why you'll see it all the time on High Stakes Poker. As has been noted above, not every casino will allow you to do it. Particularly at low stakes where it can confuse the fish.

Only works in cash games, BTW, not tournaments.

jjkenx · Jul 14, 2009

Stardling is for chumps. I wish all the online sites had the option though.

StormRaven · Jul 14, 2009

Not only does the straddle create action but you have to watch for those who do the initial straddle or are in late pos on a straddle. At the casino I play at (yes, an Indian Reservation) it isn't uncommon for for the initial straddler or btn or c/o to raise all in preflop to steal all the blinds in the pot due to a straddle.

As for the action:
Many more people will play hands they normally wouldn't because of the extra $$ in the pot so that brings in a lot of action and a lot of bad beats/suck outs.

aliengenius · Jul 15, 2009

Rumor has it that the straddle option is coming to online poker soon. I suspect it will be an option similar to automatically posting your blinds...

Ecomdan · Jul 15, 2009

Yeah I was thinking that they could include it as like a checkbox like the auto post blinds option, you could check it before the next hand had even started. Although OzExorcist made a good point about the time taken to make the decision, if the person UTG+1 made the decision before the current hand was over he could just check the box before the next hand was dealt and no time would be lost at all

BM0529 · Jul 15, 2009

Straddling in my opinion decreases action and is a weak play, I never understood people who think it increases action...the only time this may be the case is at a loose table where someone is going to show they have more guts than the guy putting the straddle on, otherwise it forces people to fold marginal hands they might otherwise call with. In my opinion, man up and play the UTG position, dont wimp out .

robert_wrath · Jul 19, 2009

Years ago, variants of Hollywood Poker offered a straddle option to click. I haven't seen any online sites offering it anymore ( open to U.S. residents ).

wagon596 · Jul 19, 2009

I'm dumb

Call me dumb,,, DOH,,, I've never been able to understand the straddle,,, maybe someone could explain it to me like I'm a 5 year old....
Take care

ukaliks · Jul 19, 2009

OzExorcist said:
I'm guessing the instantaneous dealing at online sites has something to do with it.

Live, players are making the straddling decision / actions while the dealer is shuffling. That's all good because it's dead time anyway.

Online though, that gap in time doesn't exist - within seconds of a hand finishing, the next one is dealt and you've seen your cards. They'd probably have to implement an extra ten-second period where UTG decides whether they want to straddle or not, which would just slow the game way down. It'd be even slower if you then had to allow UTG+1 a chance to re-straddle.

Chances are that slowing in the action would negate any increase in rake the sites might get from the slightly increased action.

Tottaly agress with this. But from my point of view, i think straddling would be a great idea. All they need to do is make a special table for the straddle
like full tilt does for it's ante's. Then the UTG shud have to click a box like the fold to any bet, sit out which is decided when he is at UTG+1.

I think this would b a great idea to increase more aggressive play and mayb more rake.

I wish they would put them on the micro stake cash games, even the antes. like 0.10/0.25 ante 0.10 straddle 0.50. Would b a very intresting game then...

But mayb the micro stake fish mite abuse the straddle button? I could see it happnin.

jdeliverer · Jul 20, 2009

wagon596 said:
Call me dumb,,, DOH,,, I've never been able to understand the straddle,,, maybe someone could explain it to me like I'm a 5 year old....
Take care

Although OzExorcist already explained it, in simplest terms it is the 3rd blind.

The advantage that it provides to the straddler is that they get to act first preflop. It's not an advantage overall, people only really do it when they can get others to do it as well.

StormRaven · Jul 20, 2009

BM0529 said:
Straddling in my opinion decreases action and is a weak play, I never understood people who think it increases action...the only time this may be the case is at a loose table where someone is going to show they have more guts than the guy putting the straddle on, otherwise it forces people to fold marginal hands they might otherwise call with. In my opinion, man up and play the UTG position, dont wimp out .

Maybe it depends upon where you play at. The casino I play it it really varries. At the low stakes tables with a lot of tourists we don't normally see a lot of straddling, those who are new to the concept are wary of it. With that said, most of the tables I play it do straddle and it does bring in a lot of action, it especially helps to loosen up a table that is too tight, lots of limpers, most people folding to small raises etc; Late night is best, lots of people drinking and loosening up, straddling and double and triple straddling. It can be fun imo.

WEC · Jul 20, 2009

BM0529 said:
Straddling in my opinion decreases action and is a weak play, I never understood people who think it increases action...the only time this may be the case is at a loose table where someone is going to show they have more guts than the guy putting the straddle on, otherwise it forces people to fold marginal hands they might otherwise call with. In my opinion, man up and play the UTG position, dont wimp out .

Guess you should let all the guys who play on HighStakesPoker know they are weak players and you should get a seat as soon as possible

Maybe you can be the one to tell Doyle Brunson, Sam Farha, etc to "man up" and quit wimping out.

RAMARAIDER · Jul 20, 2009

If you are a serious player out for profit, straddling and running it " twice" and half kill, etc. increase the volatility and takes away your tight grinding edge in cash games, because it promotes a tournament like crazy atmosphere. If you like action and fun, then by all means go ahead. " A gambler wagers on unfavourable odds, while a player wagers on favourable odds created by oneself.

PLO1519 · Jul 20, 2009

In my experiences a straddle has been a massive pain to deal with. Typically it transforms a game drastically. For example, I'm comfortable playing in the $1/2 Live game, the money dosen't effect me and in general its a good sized game. However, whenever theres a straddle, it essentially turns into a 1-2-5 game that plays exponentially larger. the preflop raises are now $15-$20 instead of $8-$10.

OzExorcist · Jul 20, 2009

jamesdadeliverer said:
The advantage that it provides to the straddler is that they get to act first preflop. It's not an advantage overall, people only really do it when they can get others to do it as well.

Pretty sure you meant they get to act last preflop. But it's the second part that's important.

You don't straddle because you really want to act last preflop. You're just making the pot bigger when you're in awful position. What you do want to do when you straddle is encourage others to straddle as well, so that there are bigger pots to play for when you are in position.

Monoxide · Jul 20, 2009

Live poker is fairly boring, hence why there is/can be a straddle. It helps make things more exciting and puts more "gambolllllllll" into the game. Ehhh, my casino sucks though they make a straddle as a blind bet, aka you cannot reopen the action when it gets back to you. People still do it though, which I love very much.

Straddles tend to help stimulate action, the thing is online you get so many hands in and the action is already very fast and interesting, that a straddle is not really needed imo.

What I would prefer online are antes, antes already occur on UB on some tables at 50NL+, which I think is just awesome.

Im going to drink alot now, future posts may or may not be coherent.

FTPHeHaTeMe · Jul 20, 2009

Yea if they named the tables like Straddle on #1 through whatever so you knew it was a straddle table that would be fine

Eugenius · Jul 20, 2009

I like to straddle in live games. It creates more action, buys you a more aggressive image, and if you wake up with a big hand nobody ever believes you.

BM0529 · Jul 21, 2009

Eugenius said:
I like to straddle in live games. It creates more action, buys you a more aggressive image, and if you wake up with a big hand nobody ever believes you.

This is one big danger of picking up a big hand under a straddle, obviously you want to look down and see Aces... BUT I can't even tell you how many times I've seen Aces or Kings cracked under a straddle when they were well ahead after the flop, in some cases an 85-15 or 90-10 favorite simply because nobody ever believes a person can pick up a good hand when they straddle and they tend to get run down with marginal hands that wind up catching up on the turn or river.

Eugenius · Jul 21, 2009

BM0529 said:
This is one big danger of picking up a big hand under a straddle, obviously you want to look down and see Aces... BUT I can't even tell you how many times I've seen Aces or Kings cracked under a straddle when they were well ahead after the flop, in some cases an 85-15 or 90-10 favorite simply because nobody ever believes a person can pick up a good hand when they straddle and they tend to get run down with marginal hands that wind up catching up on the turn or river.

That's why I over-bet my hands like crazy if I wake up with a monster in the straddle... Fine, go ahead, call $80 into a $30 pot against my AA...

Straddling

Ecomdan

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OzExorcist

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konawajim

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