A very common practice at the live games is chopping the blinds whenever it is folded to them. I do not think I have ever seen blind vs. blind pre-flop at a live game....ever, at least at low stakes. Is it best to just pull your $$ back and not go for the $3BB ($1/$3NL). Hourly, if you are able to win that blind fairly consistently, that adds up. I would love to get thoughts on this from others.

Also, another common thing is a live $6 straddle. I have seen some guys in the BB go ballistic when the guy to their left just keeps straddling his blind. Every player has a right to play how they choose, but is there an etiquette to straddling?

I love when I get straddled, you get to fold BB hands that would otherwise get you into trouble.

I chop the blinds. The amount of money you would win playing blind vs blind I don't think is a better outcome that the extra hands per hour you would see by chopping, but I have no data.

I don't think it adds up to much because that spot is rare and you pay a higher percentage of rake in those spots.

I chop but only to keep things friendly. I don't like to spend the time to see a hand dealt out and played up to a point only to have poker aborted. The quote above is the only good reason to chop imo and still, there would have to be a flop and you would have to lose to suffer from paying a higher percentage of the rake.

Always chop. It keeps the game moving and you don't look like a douche trying to squeeze every dollar out of the game. I would never chop online (if it was an option) because you can rape a player who folds his BB too much or plays poorly on later streets but live games are about having fun and getting the fish to gamble.

I like to straddle. It gives the appearance of a loose/aggro/gambling style and people rarely give you credit if you get a hand. If someone else is straddling I'll try to keep it going. If no one is straddling I'll ask the table if they want to get a straddle going. Too many No's and I won't push it and think about a table change.

The rake eats into any gains made with Blind v Blind action, so it's generally better just to chop. Its not asked, but there IS an ettiquette with chopping: either do it throughout the entire session or not, but selectively chopping (only chopping after looking at your cards and deciding, or only chopping when SB but not BB) is considered douchebaggery.

I've never hear of any ettiquette on straddling.

I don't get the straddle. You essentially pay for an extra super sized big blind so you can get the privilege of acting last preflop and then being OOP the rest of the hand. I don't understand how people can make money off of that.

This...but it builds pots when im in good position & gets me to fold crappy bb hands that could get me in trouble, so by all means i love when others do it


As far as chopping, always do it. If i have a hand that could hit a bad beat jackpot i may call & check down & make it clear what im doing, but unless i hit quads or something im not betting at all

You pay too much rake blind vs blind so always chop, unless the casino runs a bad beat jackpot and you have a pair or some starting qualifying hand that could hit the bad beat.

As far as the straddle. I like sitting in late position vs straddles because they are usually very aggressive and will 4x raise a table call of straddle if it ever gets to them and become very spewy with more money on the table.

about chopping the blinds: chopping is OK but you got to do it every time regardless what hand you may have. This is considered a etiquette if you like it to named like this.

about straddle by the dude on your left: If you don't like him straddling all the time or want to get on his nerve and piss him off; this is what you do:
You are in the big blind the dude from utg straddles all the time, when the time comes you tell the dealer to deal you out and force the "straddle dude" to take the big blind instead of you. lol...lol. On the next hand you buy the button and get back to normal. Even if you post the big blind $$ and he straddle in the last moment you still can stay out one hand. Just take your blind money and ask the dealer for the missing big blind button. ...lol...lol..lol... To make it even worse now, when you get to be the button and he is in the small blind and if they let you straddle on the button; do it and the action must start with him and when the action comes around to you go ahead and raise him. ...lol...lol..lol

In general you should not call any straddle unless you are ready to raise. If that's the case go ahead and raise him but don't call and than fold when he raise his straddle.

They don't make money off the hands they straddle. It might draw others to straddle and drive more action, and indirectly be a good move at the right table. I usually only straddle if we get down to 5-handed. It avoids chops (which would happen almost every hand otherwise with this many empty seats) and buys you position with the right people on your left.


And I understand what you guys are saying about rake. There's no dead money, so whatever you put into a b v b pot, you're not getting double back. But the winner of the hand pays 100% of the rake every time: rake is always eating into your winnings. If you hate paying rake, you can avoid winning hands...

One thing I hate about chopping is occasionally I'll sit next to a beginner that doesn't even know what chopping is, and they look completely confused when asked to chop. If they have a big hand then they probably wouldn't want to chop. I also saw a guy have chopping explained to him, and it was amusing to watch because he didn't speak English well, and couldn't understand why players would chop so he refused to chop until he saw other players do it.

With all that said, I always chop.

Everybody has to learn once though

Some places disallow this though, right? Think my local casino has a no chop rule, could be wrong.

Chopping blinds is usually just an etiquette thing, and it creates a friendly non-hostile environment / image (which is definitely the most profitable environment / image to play in, imo).

I never get upset about anyone putting in dead money blind preflop, and totally encourage it (even though I have never straddled and my life long goal is to maintain my straddle virginity).

GcluelessNLnoobG

I don't chop when it's 5 players or less. I generally let it be known in advance (would be bad to say it when the time comes, since they might think I have aces and they might throw their cards in my face or something)

I love when other people straddle but when they do a round of straddling I don't mind it but VPIP UTG blind is -EV

Then he gets to UTG straddle when you buy the button. And now you are in for a dead SB + BB on a straddle.

I chop all the time and never look at my cards in that situation. Where I play people are chasing the stupid jackpot, so they will tell you "I have a jackpot hand". I say that's nice; raise or chop, but if you play this hand we are playing every time. I won't chop with the sb again. It pisses them off, but the way I look at it is you can't have it both ways.

If a player likes to play and never chop, I'm okay with that too. Am either folding my blinds, which I'm doing most of the time or playing a decent hand.

But utg straddles, to me are losing propositions. But I don't mind if others do it because I can attack their straddle and play in position through most hands.

At most places once you say "I have a jackpot hand" the hand becomes disqualified. Not that ive ever seen a bad beat get disqualified, but the first rule of bbj is don't talk about the bbj.

While having your bb straddled removes your big blind special, it greatly increases your profit when you catch a hand. There's no etiquette really, but if you like money I would advise against it.

they don't have microphones at the table, and the dealer is not going to say anything but yes I have also heard this too.

I am also sick of the code words when the bbj is high "can you play? I can play"

"No I can't play"

button moves.

I would love to know in the history of the bbj has it ever come down to blind vs blind?

Anyone who complains about someone else straddling needs to be quite. It is good for the game. As far as chopping the blinds I think it is + ev but you need to be 100% consistent. I chop the blinds and make sure not to look at my hand.

I think thats dick. First off he cant say that bc if he does the bbj is void...but why be a dick? If he hints at it & u have a high pair or suited connectors, what does it hurt to see if you hit the miracle board & hit the bad beat?

I agree. Also if people are there to chase the jackpot, then encourage them. Encourage them to chase the stupid jackpot, and you want them to think you're all there to have fun. The last time I let someone chop in that position, we just checked it down and were allowed to take our blinds back when the jackpot didn't hit.

People can chase the jackpot all they want, I don't care, but when comes to the blinds lets just chop or play. The casino already gets away with essentially hijacking the extra dollar plus their drop/rake. I would prefer not to feed into the hysteria. Your mileage may vary.

Well, you can post behind the button and he never gets to straddle unless I let him to ...lol...lol..lol

The thing is that if you want you can make it impossible for the dude on your left to ever straddle.