allowed to see their cards. Thus, everyone has an equal stake in the current hand, and

folding is less 🏧 common in early betting rounds. (It's the "I already paid so I might as

well stick around for another card" 🏧 mentality.) Antes have the benefit of allowing

players to sit out any hand (say, to go to the restroom or 🏧 take a phone call) or even

quite the game without any sense of unfairness.