Comments on: The Brilliance of the Button Ante

By: Kevin Larson

Kevin Larson — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 00:17:07 +0000

If the only intent is to speed up the game, couldn’t you just as easily raise the blinds quicker and/or by larger increments? The ante builds the pot faster and (when paid individually) encourages players to be more active, particularly when short stacked. The BBA essentially double penalizes the big blind. At least the Dealer ante comes when the player has position, so it’s not quite as bad.

By: Heather Allen

Heather Allen — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 16:18:28 +0000

In reply to john Rowan. Yes it definitely has. I would say that up to 80% of the tournaments I play now are big blind ante. I'm finding that I prefer it strongly to the traditional format right up until the tables get short and the floors inevitably fail to balance correctly. Then I start to lose my mind.

By: john Rowan

john Rowan — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 15:31:22 +0000

It’s been nearly a year now and it looks like BB ante is taking over, at least in the USA. I’ve seen it now at Foxwoods, Borgata, Maryland and several casinos in Las Vegas. The only negative I’ve seen is that some tournaments start it at LEVEL 1, so you have 200-100-200 or $500 in middle from the first hand, instead of the normal 25-50 or $75. That is huge! Foxwoods now usually starts 100-100 for the first two levels and then goes to 200-100-200. Some places cut the ante in half once you get to the final two tables or so to account for the likelihood that there will be fewer players at the table. I have read that studies show using the BBA does increase hands-per-hour, which is a good thing!

By: Heather Allen

Heather Allen — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 18:44:24 +0000

In reply to John Rowan. Both excellent points!

By: John Rowan

John Rowan — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 18:19:06 +0000

You point out several positive effects of the “Button blind.” I suspect this will gain traction everywhere soon.
While I personally like it, here are a couple of considerations:
1) It is going to be even more difficult to explain the game to a novice player or a casual viewer. “Three people have to put in money before the hand starts, but only two of the count. But the one who has to put in money that doesn’t count is in the most advantageous position.”
2) this is a selfish reason. I don’t WANT players who don’t know when they should be more aggressive to be steered toward better play. Let them figure it out through hard work and pathetic results like I did!

By: Heather Allen

Heather Allen — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 14:03:51 +0000

In reply to Mark Marcellus. In places where I have seen it, there is no button ante in the case of a dead button. Or, by the way, if the small blind is eliminated. So you never have to pay twice in a row.

By: Mark Marcellus

Mark Marcellus — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 08:03:57 +0000

How do they handle the ante in the case of a dead button?

By: Heather Allen

Heather Allen — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 14:34:46 +0000

In reply to Linda Swears. Hi Linda! LAPC just instituted a big blind ante yesterday. So you are clearly not the only one. There are accommodations made for dead stacks, I believe, so that the button never pays twice.

By: Linda Swears

Linda Swears — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 05:45:49 +0000

Another good read! Thanks Heather! And I agree, I think the B.B. paying the ante for the table makes more sense…you could conceivably be the button two hands in a row…yes?