Very few online poker rooms have a straddle option, which means that online poker players who decide to play poker for real money at a live poker room are often confused about the straddle.  Is it worth doing?  If so, under what conditions?  How should you change your strategy against someone who is straddling?

Let’s get started by walking through the basics of the straddle.  The straddle is essentially an additional blind, and is generally two times the size of the big blind.  In most rooms, the option to straddle is given only to the player to the left of the big blind.  Most rooms only allow a single straddle, although double straddles are more common in Pot Limit Omaha games. 

Should you straddle?  Generally speaking, the straddle is a terrible idea in limit holdem but a reasonable one in no limit holdem.  If the rest of the table is straddling, it is generally accepted that you should straddle as well.  If the table is playing very tight or your image is overly tight, a straddle might help to change those environments.  However, if none of the above conditions apply, you should avoid straddling –  after all, one generally doesn’t choose to put in extra money out of position without seeing their cards.

Playing against a straddler requires similar analysis.  If the table is playing as usual against the straddle, you’re fine playing your regular game –  just be aware that pots are going to be larger on average.  If the table loosens up or gets more aggressive against the straddle, you should seriously consider tightening up –  your position preflop is one seat worse than it would be usually, as the straddle acts last before the flop.  The larger pots also make speculative hands less profitable, as they effectively chop stacks in half.

Fun?  You bet.  Essential?  Not so much.  Hopefully the straddle now seems less of a mystery and more of another interesting aspect of the game of poker.