Chopping Blinds

Chopping Blinds in poker refers to a situation where all players fold to the small blind, and both the small blind and big blind decide to take back their bets and move on to the next hand.

What is Chopping Blinds?

In poker, Chopping Blinds occurs when all players fold to the small blind in a hand, and the small blind and big blind mutually decide to take back their blinds rather than play the hand. This effectively ends the hand, and a new one begins. It is a common practice in cash games to speed up play, especially in situations where the blinds do not want to play a hand heads-up.

When to Chop Blinds

Deciding whether to chop blinds can depend on several factors, including the relative hand strengths of the small blind and big blind, the tendencies of the players, and the game strategy. Some players prefer to always chop blinds when given the opportunity, while others may choose to play the hand if they have a strong starting hand.

Considerations When Chopping Blinds

When you have the option to chop blinds, it's important to consider the potential benefits and drawbacks. Chopping blinds can speed up the game and reduce the variance associated with playing out a large number of hands heads-up. However, if you have a strong hand or if you're in a position to potentially win more chips, it might be more profitable to play the hand.

Example of "Chopping Blinds"

For instance, in a cash game, if all players fold to the small blind, the small blind and big blind may agree to chop the blinds. They would both retrieve their blind bets and a new hand would begin.

• "With weak hands in the small blind and big blind, they agreed to chop the blinds and move on to the next hand."
• "Even though they often chopped blinds, he decided to play the hand after looking down at pocket aces."
• "Chopping blinds can be a good strategy to keep the game moving in a friendly cash game."