Ante: How a Small Bet Makes Big Impact in Poker
Lina Almans
09 October 2023
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If you’ve ever played poker, you know that there are different ways to start a pot. One of them is ante. But what exactly is ante?
What is Ante in Poker?
Ante is a forced bet that every player must make before the cards are dealt in a poker game. The size of it is usually between 10-20% of the big blind.
The idea: Poker would be boring without mandatory bets: players could play only the strongest hands and fold the rest. Why take the risk if there’s no money in the bank?
How Ante Works?
For example, in a $2/$4 Stud game, the ante could be $0.40 or $0.60 per player. Here is how ante affects the pot size in a poker game:
Number of Players | Ante Size (10% of BB) | Pot Size |
2 | $0.40 | $0.80 |
4 | $0.40 | $1.60 |
6 | $0.40 | $2.40 |
8 | $0.40 | $3.20 |
As you can see, the pot size increases as the number of players do. The formula for calculating the pot size from the antes is:
Pot Size = Ante Size x Number of Players
Using this formula, we can see how the pot size increases as the number of players do. For example, in a game with 8 players and a $0.40 ante, the pot size is:
Pot Size = 0.40 x 8= $3.2
Where to Play with Ante?
Ante is common in poker tournaments. This prevents players from waiting for premium hands. Some tournaments (the WSOP) use a big blind ante, which means that only one player pays the ante for the entire table.
Ante is always used in these games, regardless of the stakes or the format:
- Seven Card Stud: Players receive 7 cards (3 face down and 4 face up) and try to make the best 5-card hand.
- Five Card Draw: Players receive 5 cards face down and can exchange up to 3 cards for new ones.
- Badugi: Players try to make the lowest 4-card hand with different suits.
- Razz: A lowball variant of Stud where the lowest hand wins.
In games like HORSE or 8-Game, ante is used only in some rounds and not in others. For example, in HORSE, ante is used in Razz, Stud, and Stud Hi/Lo rounds, but not in Hold’em and Omaha Hi/Lo rounds.
Note: Omaha cash games and Texas Hold’em only use blinds.
Ante vs Blinds
Ante | Blinds |
Paid by every player | Paid by 2 players |
Fraction of the big blind (e.g. 10%) | Fixed amount (e.g. $1 for SB and $2 for BB) |
Increases the pot size by the number of players times the ante | Increases the pot size by the sum of the small blind and the big blind |
More common in tournaments | More common in cash games |
What is an ante in poker?
An ante is a small bet that every player must make before the cards are dealt. It creates a base pot and encourages more action.
What is the size of an ante?
The size is usually between 10-20% of the big blind.
How does an ante affect the pot size in poker?
It increases the pot by the number of players times ante size. Here’s how it looks: Ante = Ante Size x Number of Players