07- 4-05, LearnTexasHoldem:

Unable To Make Blinds

Question: We are a small group of friends learning to play Texas Hold 'Em. At the end of the night, I had all the chips and one other person had just a few chips, not enough to make even the small blind. I thought I won, but the other people said that in this case, we both put in the amound of chips the other person has, and then both turn over our cards and continue as if we are both all in. Whoever gets the best hands then wins. I said this sounded more like "War" and not poker, but was outvoted. We played this way for about 5 hands and the other person kept winning. Is this correct? You continue to play even if you can't make the blind? Thanks for any help!!

Top 3 Beginner Rooms

Answer: They are correct. If you are unable to make the big or small blind, you just put out whatever chips you have left. Then, if it is a heads up match, the other player only has to match your chips. The first thing to remember in these situations is that one player isn't allowed to make more money back from each other opponent than he/she personally wagered. So if I only have $1 left, I couldn't expect to get more than that from you if I went all-in and won.

Next, you can always play as long as you have a chip left; this is where all-ins and side pots come into play. If for example when the opponent couldn't make the blind it was threehanded, not heads up, then there would be a side pot and a main pot. The guy all-in would only be able to make an equal amount to what he went all-in for from each of you, the rest would go in the side pot. For example, if he only had $10 left, the main pot would be $30 (10 from each of you three guys).

Then any money wagered after would go into the side pot. The main pot anyone could win, while the side pot could only be won by either you or the other non-all-in player. Lastly, when someone can't meet the blinds, the blind is what they have left. So if the blind should be $40 and he only has $20, the blind becomes $20.

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