What does "big blind" signify in poker?

[ProGambler]

The "big blind" is a required wager made in poker before the cards are dealt by the player seated two seats to the left of the dealer button (in most games with a professional dealer) or by the first player to the left of the dealer button (in self-dealt games). The small blind, which is posted by the player to the left of the big blind, is typically two times the size of the big blind.

In order to ensure that there is always some money on the line in each hand, the large blind establishes a starting pot for the players to contend for.

 

[CR7]

Exactly, the big blind is also an indicator of the minimum bet size for that particular hand. Once the cards are dealt, the action starts from the player to the left of the big blind, who can either call, raise or fold, and this action proceeds clockwise around the table.

Players are usually required to post blinds in tournaments and cash games; however, the size of the blinds might increase periodically in tournaments as the game progresses in order to eliminate players as the game continues.

The big blind is usually twice the size of the small blind, but this varies according to the game being played. For instance, in some games, the big blind might be 2.5 times the size of the small blind, or even three or four times the size.

In short, the big blind is a necessary component of poker gameplay that ensures there is money to be won in every hand and helps to dictate the minimum bet sizes for that particular hand.

 

[Hasan77]

The big blind is the bet placed by the player sitting to the left of the small blind. The big blind is usually equal to the minimum bet for that particular table. Using the previous example, the big blind in a $1/$2 game would be $2.