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#3
10-22-2007, 04:05 PM
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Re: Benifits of the straddle
They want to get more money in the pot, essentially raising the stakes in a no limit game, because they are better than other people. [Edit: this is why decent players might do it. Gamblers do it to gamble] The reason the stakes are essentially raised is that in order to give proper pot odds (or deny pot odds, etc), a raiser now has to raise more to get the same effect.
In limit games this does not have the same effect, really, because it just makes it more profitable for people to chase. However, most people in limit games do not take the extra money into consideration and attempt to win it right away, so I like it when people straddle. The same goes for kill pots in kill games, people do not up the aggression to try to win the pot early, and profit on the temporarily raised stakes. If a lot of people are straddling I'll do it because I want to keep the action going. There is a neat trick I saw once. Get a straddle amount and tie it together with a rubber band. Explain to people that whoever wins the next pot from you gets this bundle but should use it to straddle when it's their turn - and whoever wins that pot will get the bundle and should do the same. Sometimes it gets a lot of straddles going, sometimes not. 
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#5
10-23-2007, 12:20 AM
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Re: Benifits of the straddle
Some games are played with a kill qualifier. Whenever a player wins a pot that meats the qualifier (usually a pot of a given size or larger) he gets a kill button. If he wins a second pot that meets the qualifier, the stakes double (if it's a full kill game) or increase by 50% (if it's a half kill game).
Also, the player who won those two pots has to post an extra blind which is double the big blind, and gets to act last preflop. If you have the kill button and you lose a hand, the kill button goes to someone else and the process starts again. So a 4/8 full kill game, when the kill is on, moves to 8/16 and the guy with the kill button post a $8 blind. There is some emergent behavior in these pots that you should take advantage of: * loose players are often less willing to play as loose, because there is more money in the pot * passive players are less likely to call you down because the bet sizes are out of their comfort zone * people don't stop to think that there's a little extra money in the pot If you can be the first person to raise then you get to make everyone call $16 right off the bat when they're used to calling $4 or $8. The same thing happens if there's a straddle on, if you are the first person in you can raise and make people call more $ than they're used to. There's much more in the pot than usual, so it becomes worth it to try to end the hand preflop or on the flop and steal the whole thing.
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#6
10-23-2007, 01:02 AM
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Re: Benifits of the straddle
There are no benefits to a straddle. Only numbnuts want to voluntarily put extra money in a pot without the benefit of seeing their cards.
It's ok as a fun element but if you are playing to win money it is the pits.
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#7
10-23-2007, 01:16 AM
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Re: Benifits of the straddle
[ QUOTE ]
There are no benefits to a straddle. Only numbnuts want to voluntarily put extra money in a pot without the benefit of seeing their cards. It's ok as a fun element but if you are playing to win money it is the pits. [/ QUOTE ] This is just out and out wrong from a table-image perspective. You want a happy fun gambling table. If you occaisonally have to throw away 1bb to get that, so be it. (And really it's not like you lose 1bb every time, because sometimes you have a hand)
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#8
10-23-2007, 01:39 AM
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Re: Benifits of the straddle
[ QUOTE ]
what is a kill pot? [/ QUOTE ] A kill pot is when someone (in a kill game) wins two pots in a row the next pot becomes a "Kill pot" which means that the betting increments double. There are some rules for it too For example at my local casino, at 3/6 limit, if I win any pot, the dealer will toss me a "leg up" button. If I win the next pot and it is over 40 dollars the next pot will be a "kill pot" and it will be 6/12 limit for one hand.
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#9
10-23-2007, 01:54 AM
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Re: Benifits of the straddle
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] There are no benefits to a straddle. Only numbnuts want to voluntarily put extra money in a pot without the benefit of seeing their cards. It's ok as a fun element but if you are playing to win money it is the pits. [/ QUOTE ] This is just out and out wrong from a table-image perspective. You want a happy fun gambling table. If you occaisonally have to throw away 1bb to get that, so be it. (And really it's not like you lose 1bb every time, because sometimes you have a hand) [/ QUOTE ] No, I don't want a happy fun gambling table - I want to win. I did actually say as a fun element this is ok (some fun home games I will staddle). For winning poker it is just plain wrong. The OP was asking for the benefits and I assume he meant for winning poker and not having a bit of fun.
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#10
10-23-2007, 07:47 AM
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Re: Benifits of the straddle
yes there are benefits to it...
1. the straddle combined w/ other plays can create a loose image. some will think u r there to gamble. u can use this to ur advantage later by gettin paid off big when u hit ur big hand. 2. u r a tight player. the table has been pretty loose (good 4 u) but after loosin a couple of players it's been pretty darn nitty (bad 4 u). u can use the straddle to create a couple of big pots and encourage other players to straddle themselves. this will make everyone become a lot looser. on a couple of occasions i've been able to turn a nit table into full gambol. so i know it works. 3. some people straddle so that when it comes around to them they can raise big and take all that dead money from the limpers who put down 2 BBs each. u can use this to ur advantage too. be observant as to how people react to a big raise from the straddler. if it seems to be working try it urself. of course try to come up w/ the minimum amount that will do the trick and it will be a profitable play. also, there's people who like to limp in w/ good hands b/c they're expectin the straddler to make that big raise. if u know there's a couple of players @ ur table that will do this then it's a good idea to straddle. when u get a big hand on one of ur straddles u'll get paid off by one of the nonbelievers who's already waitin for u to raise. it's hard for those kind of people to put u on any sort of hand, especially if they've seen u try the move before. 4. u can also use it to ur advantage to keep the table friendly. if a lot of people at the table r straddlin and they ask me to do it too i almost always do. if i'm the best player @ the table, especially @ one of those tables where players apparently just want to throw $ @ me, i want to keep it friendly. Rek said he's not there for a happy fun gamblin table but he's there to win. well me too. but in that kinda scenario i don't want to be taken too seriously. i want people to think i'm there to just have a good time like they are. i've even bought a person or two a drink to keep everythin "friendly". it turns out it keepin it "friendly" keeps them in donation mood all night long. i can think of other situations where i've used the straddle but i'm goin to bed now so i ain't writin no more. the point is it is not useless and it should always have a well-planned purpose.
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