Blinds

Also known as: Small Blind, Big Blind, SB, BB

Forced bets posted by the two seats left of the button — the small blind and big blind — that create dead money and drive the action every hand.

The blinds are two forced bets posted before any cards are dealt, by the two seats immediately left of the button:

The small blind posts half a big blind.
The big blind posts a full big blind.

Without the blinds there would be nothing to play for — everyone could fold every hand for free. The blinds create dead money in the middle, which is exactly what makes stealing, opening, and continuation betting profitable. They are also why poker is a game of forced action rather than infinite patience.

The blinds rotate one seat clockwise every hand, so the cost is shared equally over time. In tournaments they ratchet up on a timer (with an ante added later), shrinking everyone's stack-to-blind ratio and forcing action.

Because you've already invested when you're in the big blind, you get a price to continue — which is why you must defend the big blind with a wide range rather than folding into the raiser. Surrendering the blinds too easily is one of the most common leaks; see blind defense.

Example

Blinds 1/2: the small blind posts 1, the big blind posts 2, and everyone else acts for free until the action returns. If you open to 5 from the button and both blinds fold, you collect the 3 chips of dead money — a small but constant profit that, repeated, is the engine of a winning game.