WeÂ’ve (the regular players) been discussing adding a mandatory $6 button straddle to one of the 1-3 tables (usually 2-4 games going). Typically 5-10% of the pots are straddled $6-10, maybe 1/4 from UTG. Rake would stay at 4+2.

Good idea or not? What would some important adjustments be?

IÂ’m mostly curious about a theoretical player who refuses to post a straddle (ignore that itÂ’s mandatory) and so is dealt out and itÂ’s a dead button that hand. What is he gaining or losing? How big of an advantage would it be to be to the immediate right of such a player?

Your post is a bit confusing. If posting $6 on the button is "mandatory," the button can't decide not to pay it. It button has to sit out if they don't want to pay it.

In general, adding straddle makes the game more shallow unless the buyins are made larger. That is an advantage to the weaker players because the decision making becomes theoretically easier. The SB and BB will play less often which is what most players should do.

My guess is that the regulars want to do this because they want feel like they are playing a bigger game but don't want to risk playing 2/5. Stroking the egos of bad players is never a bad idea, so I'd support it if one understood how to adjust (play tighter mainly, less SC and set mining).

Button straddles are bad for the game, at least in theory. They incentivize nitty play preflop bc the button is always closing the action preflop and will have position postflop, so speculative limps and things like that get easily punished.


If you guys want a mandatory straddle game, just do UTG and make it a straight 1-3-6 3 blind game.

Also look at BTN or BB ante if you want to create more action (or any of the other tweaks to the game).

Any straddle _should_ make the game tighter and BTN straddle should make it super tight. But lots of people don't play straddles correctly, so people think it's good.

Mandatory straddles is dumb. They only exist to trick the fish into playing for higher stakes. Like just play 2/5. In my mind poker would be better if there was only 1 blind (and/or an ante), since it wouod cut down in 3b/fold preflop strats, and instead everyone wants to make it 3 blinds (like seriously the SB oughta play so insanely tight)