An ante is a small but mandatory payment that all players make before any cards are dealt, or any poker hands have been played. In tournaments, antes are often used in the later stages of the game to put into the pot.
What is the ante in poker?
Here’s how antes work in poker:
- Ante Amount: The ante is a small, predetermined amount of chips or money that each player at the table is required to put into the pot before the cards are dealt. The size of the ante can vary depending on the specific game and stakes being played. Common ante amounts include $1, $5, or a fraction of the small blind.
- Collecting Antes: Before each hand is dealt, the dealer collects the required antes from each player. Players place their ante bets in front of them, typically in a designated area on the table.
- Pot Building: The collected antes are added to the pot, creating an initial pot size. This provides an incentive for players to compete for the pot because there is already something at stake.
- First Betting Round: After the antes are collected and added to the pot, the first betting round begins. The action starts with the player to the left of the dealer and proceeds clockwise around the table.
- Optional Variant: Antes are not used in all poker games. In Texas Hold’em and Omaha, for example, blinds (small blind and big blind) are typically used instead of antes to initiate the action.
- Blinds vs. Antes: In games that use blinds, the small blind and big blind players are responsible for making forced bets before the hole cards are dealt. In contrast, in ante games, all players make equal forced bets.
Antes are commonly used in older poker variants and are less common in modern No-Limit Texas Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha games, where blinds are the norm. The use of antes can vary based on house rules and player preferences. They serve to create action and build the pot before the hand begins, making it more attractive for players to get involved in the hand.