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Poker Blinds and Dealer Button: Small Blind, Big Blind and Blind Structure

Updated 30 October 2026 · 5 min read

Blinds are the forced bets that start every hand of poker, and the dealer button decides who acts last. Understand these two ideas and the rest of poker position and betting order falls into place.

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What is a blind in poker?

A blind is a forced bet posted before cards are dealt, so there is always something to play for. The player to the left of the dealer button posts the small blind (usually half the big blind), and the next player posts the big blind. In a 5/10 game the small blind is 5 and the big blind is 10. The blind structure is the schedule of blind sizes, fixed in cash games and rising in tournaments.

Small blind and big blind rules

The big blind sets the minimum bet for the first round.
The small blind acts first after the flop among the blinds (since they are left of the button), which makes it the worst position after the flop.
The big blind has the last action preflop. It can check if nobody raised.
If you fold your blinds you lose what you posted.

The dealer button

A round marker, usually labelled D, shows the nominal dealer. After every hand the button moves one seat clockwise. The player on the button acts last on the flop, turn and river, which is the best position in poker. This is why you can play more hands on the button than from other seats. See the position chart.

Heads up button rule

When only two players are left, the button player posts the small blind and acts first preflop but last after the flop. Many online poker games use this heads up rule.

Tournament blind levels and blind structure

In a poker tournament, blinds go up on a timer, for example every 10 minutes in a turbo and every 20 or more in a regular event. A good structure gives players enough starting stack to play for several levels. A deep stack tournament gives players more chips relative to the blinds. Read more about formats in tournaments and Sit & Go.

Starting stack and stack sizes in big blinds

Pros measure stacks in big blinds (bb). A cash game stack of 100 bb is standard; a tournament may start with 30–50 bb and shrink as blinds rise. Under about 20 bb you are a short stack and your poker strategy changes: you push all in or fold more. See buy-ins and bankroll.

Frequently asked questions

What are the small blind and big blind in poker?

The small blind and big blind are two forced bets posted by the two players to the left of the dealer button. The big blind is the minimum bet, and the small blind is usually half of it.

How does the dealer button move?

It moves one seat clockwise after each hand, so everyone takes a turn in each position.

What is a good starting stack in poker?

In cash games, about 100 big blinds is standard. In tournaments, 30–50 big blinds at the start is common, with deep stack formats giving more.