World Series of Poker Adding Big Blind Ante Format To Eight Events In 2018

In recent years more and more poker rooms have offered tournaments featuring a new format that fundamentally changes how antes are approached. Known as “big blind ante,” this new format sees a major change: instead of every player anteing each hand, one player antes an amount equal to the big blind each round. The ante is dead and is immediately brought into the pot, while big blind is live and is part of the pre-flop betting. The goal is to save time and confusion, with dealers no longer responsible for going around and grabbing an ante from each player in turn and settling disputes when it is unclear if a player has anted or not.

On Wednesday, April 4, 2018 the World Series of Poker announced that the Big Blind Ante format would be utilized for the first time in bracelet events at the upcoming WSOP. In 2018 a total of 8 of the 78 bracelets awarded will come from events using the new method, including the $1 million guy-in Big One For One Drop and a number of other no-limit events with buy-ins across the price-point spectrum.

In addition to the bracelet events, two Daily Deepstacks tournament, a variety of Mega Satellites and the recurring $25,000 and $50,000 weekend high roller tournaments held in King’s Lounge will also use the new approach.

Here is a look at the tournaments that will feature the Big Blind Ante format this summer:

The press release clarifies a few points regarding the new approach, notinh that ff a player in the tournament does not have the required amount for both the big blind and the ante, the big blind will be paid first and then the ante. A player can always win the entire ante, regardless of how many chips they start a hand with.

The press release offers an example: “The blinds are 4k/8k and the big blind also antes 8k. A participant who is not in the blinds who starts the hand with only 1k gets involved in a three-way pot against the blinds. If that participant wins, he/she wins 11k (his/her own 1k wager, plus 1k from each opponent, plus the 8k ante). In this scenario, 1 chip can win 11 chips.”

“After testing out the Big Blind Ante format on the WSOP Circuit and monitoring venues that have put it into use, the WSOP has announced plans to add some Big Blind Ante tournaments to the 2018 playing schedule,” said WSOP Vice President of Corporate Communications Seth Palansky in the release. “This range of buy-ins and events will allow WSOP staff to monitor implementation and help decide whether to expand the use of the Big Blind Ante in the future.”

For a look at the entire schedule of WSOP bracelet events check out Card Player’s tournament page for the 2018 series.

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