Big Blind

The big blind is a compulsory bet posted before any cards are dealt by the player seated two positions to the left of the dealer button. Together with the small blind to its immediate right, it seeds the pot and guarantees there is always money to play for. The big blind equals the table's minimum bet — for example £10 in a £5/£10 game, where £5 is the small blind and £10 the big blind. The position carries two distinctive privileges. First, the big blind acts last in the pre-flop betting round, an advantage of seeing every other player's decision before having to act. Second, it holds the option: if no one has raised, the big blind may either check to see the flop for free or raise, having effectively already "called" with the forced bet. Worked example: in a £5/£10 game the action folds around to you in the big blind with no raise. Your £10 blind already covers the cost of seeing the flop, so you may check and play on at no extra charge. Had a player raised to £30, you would face a £20 top-up to call (your £10 is already in), or you could fold or re-raise. The blind rotates one seat clockwise each hand, so the obligation passes around the table evenly. Why it matters: the big blind is the standard unit for measuring stack sizes (a "40 big-blind stack") and bet sizes throughout poker. Defending it sensibly against steals, given the discount of money already invested, is a key skill. Common mistake: over-defending the big blind with weak hands out of position, or forgetting that acting last pre-flop reverses to acting early on every later street. Compare to: Ante, Cash Game.