Is This the Next Big Trend in Tournament Poker?
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Who doesn’t love a straddle in a cash game to juice up the pot — and the action?
Sure, players will sometimes try to “straddle” under the gun in a tournament, but in reality it’s just a blind raise. If someone only calls, you lose your option and the whole thing is a little pointless.
But what if you could actually straddle in a tournament?
Well, that’s exactly what the PokerGO Tour is introducing on Friday during Event #4: $5,300 No-Limit Hold’em Single-Day at the 2026 PokerGO Cup.
Tournament director Paul Campbell announced during a break in Event #3 on Thursday that for the first four levels of Event #4, the under-the-gun player will have the option to put on a live straddle.
Yes, you read that right. In a tournament with a $5,300 buy-in and a six-figure first-place prize, players will be able to straddle during the early levels — up through the 1,500/2,500 (2,500) blind level — with a 125,000 starting stack.
According to PokerGO, the idea is to “test out” the new format, potentially leaving the door open for similar formats in future events depending on the feedback and how Friday’s tournament plays out.
The announcement immediately created a buzz around the tournament room, with players curious to see how the experiment will unfold.
But with the lineup that typically fills the PokerGO Studio, fear of gambling usually isn’t part of the equation.
So don’t be surprised if the straddle is on… a lot.
The Hype is Real
After the announcement, the packed PokerGO Studio quickly started buzzing, with the new straddle format taking over the conversation around the tournament room.
Several players also took to social media to share their excitement about the change, including high-stakes crusher Jesse Lonis, who seemed more than ready for the added action ahead of Event #4.
Could This Become the Next Tournament Trend?
Poker innovations often start as small experiments before eventually becoming standard across the poker world.
One of the most notable examples came from the Aria, home to the PokerGo Studio, which helped introduce the big blind ante format — a change that has since become a staple in tournaments around the globe.
With PokerGO now testing tournament straddles, it raises an interesting question: could this be the next format tweak to catch on in the tournament scene?
For now, it’s just a trial run for Event #4. But judging by the buzz inside the PokerGO Studio — and the excitement from players like Lonis — the straddle might be getting plenty of action on Friday.
Be sure to follow PokerNews for live updates from Event #4 of the PokerGO Cup, where players will be putting the new tournament straddle to the test.
