What is a Straddle Poker and Why Do Players Use It?

26 Mar 2025

Beginner

This material is for beginner players

Straddle has long been a part of live poker and is now making its way into online games. Many players are still unclear about what straddling is, why it's used, and how it impacts strategy. Now let’s find out whats a straddle in poker!

Most players are familiar with blinds and antes, but in recent years, another type of bet, widely used in live poker (especially in Asia), has become more common in online poker. So what does straddle mean in poker? It represents an additional bet equal to two big blinds, placed by the player sitting in the big blind position. This bet gives the player the right to act last on the postflop street.

In live poker, straddling is typically a voluntary move, used by recreational players to "buy" the right to act last on the postflop street. However, in most online poker rooms, the straddle is often applied automatically.

Drawbacks of Straddling:

• Lack of information. A straddle is almost always a negative action / position since you make the bet without knowing what your opponents will do.
• Disadvantageous odds for opponents. Your opponents may have better odds in comparison.
• Immediate loss of 2 big blinds. If your hand is too weak to play or if there was significant action before you, you're losing 2 big blinds.

Advantages of Straddling:

• Bigger pots preflop. This helps generate more action early in the hand.
• Expanding tight players' ranges. Straddling sometimes forces tight players to make suboptimal decisions in bigger pots.
• Tilt odds. The game becomes more dynamic, with a smaller stack-to-pot ratio, which increases the likelihood of players going on tilt.

Straddling is most beneficial when your opponent makes the straddle, rather than you. In that case, the other player builds the pot, and you must decide whether to get involved or fold your hand.

Even though a straddle is generally considered a negative EV (expected value) play, there are certain situations where even professional players use it strategically. Here’s when a straddle can work to your advantage:

• Against loose-passive opponents. If you’re up against players who call almost any preflop bet but fold on the flop if they miss, a stradle poker can increase your edge. Building a larger pot preflop gives you the chance to win more chips from these players when they fold on the flop.
• Against tight and passive opponents. Players who only play strong hands and avoid difficult postflop decisions will be hesitant to engage in larger pots. This allows you to pick up more uncontested pots, increasing your overall stack over time.
• To build a table image. Even if you’re playing against weak opponents, it’s important not to come across as too tight — otherwise, you won’t get paid off when you hit a big hand. If recreational players at your table are straddling frequently, joining in occasionally shows that you’re willing to gamble, making it easier to extract value from your strong hands later.

The presence of a straddle at the table essentially doubles the current limit. As a result, your starting stack should not be based on the size of the big blind, but rather on the straddle amount. This means you should bring a stack of at least 200 big blinds to the table.

While the big blind is often considered a disadvantageous position at regular tables, even with good play, it’s logical that, with the straddle in play, the UTG (Under the Gun) position becomes the least favorable for you.

Mathematics of Straddle Poker

High-roller Nick Petrangelo recommends the following preflop strategy when playing at tables with a straddle:

• Play tighter from all positions. Although straddling is made to provide greater motion, this does not imply that you should increase your range. Quite the opposite: with the third blind in play, all ranges shift by one position. For example, you should now open your raising range from the cutoff position, just as you would from the button at a regular table, and so on.
• Accurately evaluate stack sizes. Another reason to play tighter is the reduction in stack depth. For instance, in a $5/$10 game with a $1,000 stack, if someone straddles for $20, you now have 50 big blinds instead of 100. Also, remember that with shorter stacks, hands like small pairs and suited connectors lose value, while broadway hands become more valuable.
• Avoid making large raises. Another common mistake is making oversized raises. Players often raise 4x or even 5x, but the optimal raise size is typically 2x or 2.5x. When you raise too large, you lose value from the middle and bottom of your range. Playing as many hands postflop as you can is the goal if you are ahead. So, huge raises don’t make sense, whether you’re playing with or without a straddle.

Mastering the art of straddling and knowing when to use it can give you an edge at the poker table. While straddles are generally negative EV, using them strategically against the right opponents and in the right situations can increase your winnings and help shape a stronger table image.

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