▁pot ▁before ▁the ▁deal ▁begins . ▁O ften ▁this ▁is ▁either ▁a ▁single ▁unit ▁( a ▁one - value ▁or ▁the ▁smallest ▁value ▁in ▁play ) ▁or ▁some ▁other ▁small ▁amount ; ▁a ▁proportion ▁such ▁as ▁a ▁half ▁or ▁a ▁quarter ▁of ▁the ▁minimum ▁bet ▁is ▁also ▁common . ▁An ▁ante ▁paid ▁by ▁every ▁player ▁ens ures ▁that ▁a ▁player ▁who ▁fol ds ▁every ▁round ▁will ▁lose ▁money ▁( though ▁slowly ), ▁thus ▁providing ▁all ▁players ▁with ▁an ▁in cent ive , ▁however ▁small , ▁to ▁play ▁the ▁hand ▁rather ▁than ▁toss ▁it ▁in ▁when ▁the ▁opening ▁bet ▁reaches ▁them . ▁ ▁An tes ▁are ▁the ▁most ▁common ▁forced ▁bet ▁in ▁draw ▁pok er ▁and ▁stud ▁pok er ▁but ▁are ▁un common ▁in ▁games ▁featuring ▁blind ▁bet s ▁( see ▁next ▁section ). ▁However , ▁some ▁tournament ▁formats ▁of ▁games ▁featuring ▁bl inds ▁imp ose ▁an ▁ante ▁to ▁disc ou rage ▁extremely ▁tight ▁play . ▁An tes ▁encou rage ▁players ▁to ▁play ▁more ▁lo os ely ▁by ▁lower ing ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁stay ing ▁in ▁the ▁hand ▁( call ing ) ▁relative ▁to ▁the ▁current ▁pot ▁size , ▁offering ▁better ▁pot ▁odd s . ▁With ▁antes , ▁more ▁players ▁stay ▁in ▁the ▁hand , ▁which ▁increases ▁pot ▁size ▁and ▁makes ▁for ▁more ▁interesting ▁play . ▁ ▁This ▁is ▁considered ▁important ▁to ▁ensure ▁good ▁ratings ▁for ▁tele vised ▁tournament ▁final s . ▁ ▁Most ▁tele vised ▁high - st akes ▁c ash ▁games ▁also ▁use ▁both ▁bl inds ▁and ▁antes . ▁Tele vised ▁c