Ante
A mandatory bet placed before any cards are dealt to initiate a round.
Detailed Explanation
An ante is a forced wager required from all players (or a specific player) before a hand of cards is dealt. It functions as the initial pot seed that incentivises action and prevents players from folding indefinitely without cost. Antes are used in poker, Caribbean Stud Poker, Three Card Poker, and several other table game formats.
In poker, antes differ from blinds in that all players at the table must post the ante, whereas only the two players to the left of the dealer post the Small Blind and Big Blind. Antes become standard in tournament poker at later stages to accelerate the pace of play and increase pot sizes relative to stack depths. In cash games, antes are used selectively in formats like Big Blind Ante or Dead Ante structures.
In casino banked table games such as Three Card Poker and Caribbean Stud Poker, the Ante is the primary wager on which the hand is played. Players decide after seeing their cards whether to place a secondary Play or Raise bet (usually 1–2× the Ante) or surrender the Ante by folding.
At a Glance
- Category
- Table Game Terms
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