Betting concept

Ante in Poker: What It Means and When to Use It

Ante is a betting move: what it means, when it is right, and when to avoid it.

Quick answer

Ante: A forced bet all players must post before each hand.

In more detail

Antes seed the pot, increasing pre-flop competition. Tournaments use them in later levels; some cash games (notably big-bet stud and some online formats) use them too.

Common questions

What does Ante mean in poker?

Antes seed the pot, increasing pre-flop competition. Tournaments use them in later levels; some cash games (notably big-bet stud and some online formats) use them too.

Related terms

All-In

Betting all your remaining chips.

Barrel

A continuation bet on a later street (double = flop+turn, triple = + river).

Blind

A forced bet posted before the cards are dealt.

C-Bet

A bet on the flop by the preflop raiser.

New to poker? Start with our preflop strategy guide and the free TAG cheatsheet.