Post Blinds, or Ante

There are two ways players can pre-bet in a game of poker. The exact approach you use depends on the options for the table you're at.

Posting Blinds essentially forces the two players to the left of the dealer to make a bet before the game has even started. The player directly to the left of the player places a small bet (known as a Small Blind). The next player to the left places a larger bet (known as a Large Blind). If you've ever watched Texas Hold'em Poker on television, this is how they play.

Once the cards have been dealt, the game acts as though the people who have posted the Small and Large Blind have made real bets, and play starts to the left of the person who posted the Large Blind.

In order to make things fair for everybody, the person who acts as the dealer moves clockwise after every hand, so everybody will post a large blind and a small blind after several games.

Don't worry if this seems confusing, most online Texas Hold'em Poker takes care of placing blinds automatically, so you don't need to worry too much about it. You'll get the hang of it soon enough.

If you're at a table where people Ante instead, it just means that everybody at the table puts a small bet into the pot before the cards are dealt. If you've played High Stakes Poker then you know how anteing works.

Online Texas Hold'em Poker places the Ante for you automatically, to speed the game along.