Unique to live cash games, a straddle bet is an additional and voluntary pre-flop blind raise. In effect, a third blind. Before any cards are dealt, the under-the-gun player can announce "straddle" and put out chips amounting to twice the big blind. In some locations, a Mississippi straddle is allowed from any location at the table. With the straddle, betting limits double for the first round only, and the straddler will always act last before the flop. A straddle is basically a pre-flop raise in the dark, except that it's always "live," which means that the player making the straddle can always choose to raise again when the action reaches him.
From a purely mathematical standpoint, straddling is not a good move. One, you are putting extra money into the pot when you're out of position. And two, you are donating this extra money with no idea whatsoever about your cards, since the straddle is made before any cards are dealt. And the vast majority of your starting hands will be lousy-to-mediocre. Not surprisingly, straddle bets are often made by recreational players who are just looking for another way to gamble it up.
Typically, the player who calls a straddle does so purely for the joy of raising the stakes and stimulating more action. Maniacs in particular love to push out straddle bets-just because. Some players straddle because they've got a good feeling about the next hand. Some do it because they're running extremely well, and it's their way of playing the rush. More often, players will put out a straddle it because they are badly stuck for the session and are desperately trying to get back even again.
Needless to say, none of these are particularly good reasons to make a straddle bet, at least not for the skilled player who wants to turn a profit. But there are two reasons why a serious player might want to consider putting out a straddle. First, a straddle can be a very effective way to loosen up a tight game. If you're playing at a table full of nits, a straddle is one of the few things that might get your opponents to unclench a little bit. Straddles create big lucrative pots, which in turn will entice more players to stay in and chase when they might otherwise fold.
The straddle bet can also be used to manipulate table image. A few well-timed straddle bets can convince your opponents to peg you as just another action-loving fish who likes to raise it up with junk. Then later on, you can use that loose table image to extract more chips from them when you are sitting on a good hand. Opponents will be more likely to pay you off, simply because they saw you make that superloose sucker bet known as a straddle earlier in the game.
It's also worth noting that straddle bets can irritate other players in the game-particularly the blinds, who would have gotten to see the flop for free or half price if the straddle had not been called. Depending on the circumstances, this can be a positive or a negative ploy for the straddler. Positive because it can push other players off their game and perhaps even put them on tilt. Negative because those same players might start gunning for the straddler. In a few games, the straddle bet can even be de rigueur. That is, the players at the table have an informal agreement between them to straddle every hand, effectively creating a game with three blinds and raised stakes. In this case, not straddling can tick off your opponents. Whichever type of game you're in, the straddle bet can be a valuable tool when used at the right time in the right place. Just be sure to straddle with care.
Barbara Connors is a sucker for classic old movies, science fiction, and the St. Louis Cardinals. Her life's ambition is to figure out the unusual behavior patterns of that unique breed of humans who call themselves poker players. Contact her at fyreflye222@yahoo.com.
