Ante

An ante is a small forced bet that every player at the table must post before a hand begins. Antes exist to create a starting pot and incentivize action — without antes or blinds, there would be no reason to play any hand other than the absolute best.

Antes are common in tournament poker (especially in later stages) and in some casino table games like Caribbean Stud and Three Card Poker. In Hold'em cash games, blinds serve the same function.

In tournaments, antes increase over time along with the blinds, creating pressure to play more hands. When antes are a significant portion of the pot, stealing becomes more valuable.