strattle betting, or "straddle"

[cardo1971 0]

i have been playing at caturbury in minnesota, & have heard alot of people talking about "straddle" betting, from what i can tell this is kinda like betting in the dark, i have not had this happen at any of my tables yet, but from what i can tell this is a way to protect your hand in limit poker, can anyone explain what this is & how to use it to your advantage??any Mn. players that have been to canturbury, your input would be much appreciated, & all other players to, of course :think:

[711Buddha 0]

Its a preflop raise in the dark from UTG.It a very loose play and about the only time its effective is if you have a table image problem. (And you are playing good enough players to notice you are too tight.)If you consider how few hands its appropriate to raise with from that position you can see why its a low percentage play.I can't imagine how it would "protect" your hand as you do it when you don't even have one yet.

[Makavelli 0]

if you're utg, you can raise before the cards are dealt, but the difference is, your bet is now live. In other words, when it comes back to you, you can raise it just as if you were big blind. that's a straddle. I don't know if there's any strategic thing to it, or if it's just more of a gamble. It can definitely wake up a passive table, though.

[cardo1971 0]

so you only have your hole cards & that is when you straddle, can you do it after the flop, 4th & 5th street???, & with protecting your hand, i was just assuming that would be the purpose of betting in the dark, most people at the 2-4 & 3-6 tables will call down to the river trying to make a hand, so if you had AK s, dont you think you could push a few people out of the hand by betting in the dark, :wink:

[PULL10K 0]

A Straddle bet essentially makes a third blind and raises, by 1 , the amount of bets allowed in that round. So instaed of 4 bets being the cap it makes it 5 bets. Only good in limit of course.Good for crazy aggressive play. A good opponent would not be deterred by this only passive weak players would. IMHO

[711Buddha 0]

Its pre-deal only - (I said preflop in the dark. I can see how that might not be clear.) Yes, you can reraise it when it gets to you. Most players try to steal the button (position) with a raise. This is kind of like trying to steal the big blind psoition. It can wake up a passive table. I'm not sure why you'd want to do that. :-) but it can. In general, I wouldn't recommend it.

[Allie 0]

so you only have your hole cards & that is when you straddle, can you do it after the flop, 4th & 5th street???, & with protecting your hand, i was just assuming that would be the purpose of betting in the dark, most people at the 2-4 & 3-6 tables will call down to the river trying to make a hand, so if you had AK s, dont you think you could push a few people out of the hand by betting in the dark, :wink:

It's basically like posting a third blind under the gun...if you were in a 4/8 game, and blinds were 2 and 4....you would post 8 in the dark, under the gun. The first round of betting is now 8 instead of 4. It's nothing to do with protecting your hand, since you don't have your cards....you may be putting 8 dollars in for 27 offsuit....and no you can't do it in the middle of the hand. People do it mainly to stimulate action...or change their table image...I see alot of times people do it when their drunk! LOL.

[UglyJimStudly 0]

It can wake up a passive table. I'm not sure why you'd want to do that. :-) but it can.

When used with a purpose, it's more for waking up tight tables. It encourages people to make a run for the blinds with hands they maybe wouldn't normally play. But most often, it's not really used with a purpose beyond gambling. Habitual straddlers tend to be loose-aggressive players in it for the thrill.

[tightmike 0]

It's a horrible play in LHE and NLHE (Yes, I've seenit in NLHE) but it's a good play in Pot Limit games.

[Diabolical 0]

when i play no-limit at the bike i see it from time to time. It's usually a loose player who like to do it. I don't like the fact that he can raise his own raise(the straddle). Most players who do this don't last very long at the tables cause they have too much gamble in them.

[Nostalgae 0]

If you are going to straddle, the true way to do it is to always raise when it is your option, and play the hand blind the whole way. You are guaranteed 2-pair or better if you do it like that. :)In a no-limit game I sometimes play in I noticed several people straddling, and I asked what the deal was (because I usually only see it in limit games), and the guy next to me said that it is beneficial because it gives you last action pre-flop if you pick up a good hand.. I really don't see it is a strategic move though; more of just something to do for fun/gamble or to induce action if you are bored..

[BigRob 0]

i think a "straddle" does serve a purpose in a game and does not need to be done be the loosest of players... It is the same as checking in the dark to take the pressure off of you before a flop, or betting in the dark or any other out of the ordinary play to change the game up... it does serve a purpose though the same guy was doing it at a 2/5 NL table in tulsa and they were begging me to do it so i said why not... well i straddled the 10 and i had 3 callers when the dealer looked at me i had to tell him i could still bet and then i looked at QQ... i raised 35 more with one caller and took pot down after the turn and the guy says to me i was just figuring you to steal the blinds thats why i called...Well thank you very much

[Diabolical 0]

yea, but most of the time you don't have a good hand and alot of loose players love to play with nothing. In NL, it's easier to bluff someone off their hand. even Top pair if you bet big enough.

[Othafa9 0]

I once played with Chris Moneymaker at a 2/5 nl game at Aladdin, he straddled every single time, but he was just throwin money around, don't think he cared that much.

[MasterK 0]

It was funny when Ellix Powers straddled and got on the nerves of that clown Jim McManus

[PrtyPSux 0]

A Straddle bet essentially makes a third blind and raises, by 1 , the amount of bets allowed in that round. So instaed of 4 bets being the cap it makes it 5 bets. Only good in limit of course.Good for crazy aggressive play. A good opponent would not be deterred by this only passive weak players would. IMHO

ummmm, thats just, like...your opinion maan.

[BigRob 0]

heyjust a tip when chris money maker sits down and plays the straddle everytime at your table its not because he dosent care its because he SUCKS....i know i will prob get flamed for that but i honestly think he is horrible...

[Vanillathunder 0]

I've played at tables where there were 3 blinds required, it's not a totally alien idea. In fact an underground club in central jersey has a 1-2-5 triple blind game that runs everynight.