Blinds in poker: small blind, big blind and stacks in BB
The small blind (SB) and big blind (BB) are forced bets posted before the cards are dealt by the two players to the left of the dealer button. The big blind is the basic unit of the game, so players say “I have 25 BB” instead of counting chips: it tells you how deep your stack really is, whatever the chip numbers.
Why blinds exist
Section titled “Why blinds exist”Without forced bets everyone could wait for aces and nothing would happen. The blinds put money in the pot every hand, so there is always something to win.
Small blind and big blind
Section titled “Small blind and big blind”- The small blind sits directly left of the button and usually posts half the big blind.
- The big blind sits left of the small blind and posts the full amount.
- The button moves one seat left after every hand, so everyone pays the blinds in turn.
- Cash game stakes are named after the blinds: at $0.05/$0.10 the small blind is $0.05 and the big blind is $0.10.
An ante is a small extra forced bet. Many tournaments use a big blind ante: the player in the big blind pays the ante for the whole table, which keeps the game fast.
What “BB” means
Section titled “What “BB” means”BB is short for big blind. Poker players measure everything in big blinds: stack sizes, bets and even results (“I won 10 BB per 100 hands”).
Why tournament stacks are counted in big blinds
Section titled “Why tournament stacks are counted in big blinds”In a tournament the blinds go up every few minutes, so the same number of chips is worth less and less:
| Stage | Blinds | 20,000 chips = |
|---|---|---|
| Early | 50/100 | 200 BB: lots of room to wait for good hands |
| Middle | 500/1,000 | 20 BB: time to play more actively |
| Late | 2,000/4,000 | 5 BB: look for a good spot to go all-in |
Your strategy depends on your stack in big blinds, not on the chip count:
- Under 10–15 BB: mostly all-in or fold before the flop.
- 20–40 BB: a medium stack; raise and re-raise carefully.
- 100 BB or more: a deep stack with lots of play after the flop.
“I have 25 BB” means the same thing in every tournament, while “I have 50,000 chips” means nothing until you know the blinds.
Blinds in cash games
Section titled “Blinds in cash games”In cash games the blinds never go up. A standard buy-in is 100 big blinds, for example $10 at $0.05/$0.10. Beginners often start with this amount.
What is BB in poker?
Section titled “What is BB in poker?”BB means big blind, the larger of the two forced bets. Players use it as a unit to measure stacks and bets.
Who pays the blinds?
Section titled “Who pays the blinds?”The two players directly to the left of the dealer button: first the small blind, then the big blind. The button moves every hand, so everyone pays in turn.
Why do tournament players count stacks in big blinds?
Section titled “Why do tournament players count stacks in big blinds?”Because blinds keep rising. The number of big blinds shows how much room you really have, whatever the chip count.
What is a big blind ante?
Section titled “What is a big blind ante?”A tournament rule where the player in the big blind pays the ante for the whole table each hand.
How many big blinds should I buy in for in a cash game?
Section titled “How many big blinds should I buy in for in a cash game?”100 big blinds is the standard buy-in, for example $10 at $0.05/$0.10.