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In true roguelike fashion, Balatro tasks players with thinking on their feet when completing a given run. With the game’s randomized structure, no two runs are the same unless seeded that way. But players, even poker veterans, are wondering what an Ante means in Balatro. We’re here to clear up the confusion while you ante up!
What Is an Ante in Balatro and How Do They Work?
An Ante is the Balatro version of a level, where you must clear 3 rounds against a Small Blind, a Big Blind, and a Boss Blind. You must clear multiple Antes in a row during your runs, and as you ascend each level, the Blinds become tougher. Keeping an eye on the Ante meter on the bottom-left of the UI is an important trick to remember as you mentally prepare for what lies ahead.
A higher Ante is more difficult, so you won’t want to use Skip Blind too often, except when seeking the best Tags. But as you grow your deck and buffs, you’ll find the middling Antes. Even with their sky-high chip requirements, they aren’t so bad.
Best Tips to Handle Tough Antes in Balatro
I have a few recommendations you must consider while playing Balatro to navigate these tricky Ante difficulty spikes. You can use the following to boost your chances:
- Flesh out your Joker pool to favor a certain suit and hand, giving better multipliers to whatever comes most naturally to you.
- Buy Celestial Packs and prioritize Planet Cards that also boost your preferred hands.
- The Ancient Joker is a *busted* asset and makes even level 1 Flush hands annihilate Antes 1-6.
- If you had trouble with the most recent Ante and came across the Hieroglyph Voucher, use it. This sends you back to the Ante you just finished in exchange for a playable hand per round.
- The Clearance Sale Voucher is also ideal if you find it, allowing you to stock up on Planet Cards and Tarot Cards once you’re full of Jokers.
- The Black Deck is good for players needing extra Joker support.
- The Yellow Deck, however, gives you a crucial extra $10, giving you an early edge.
- If you had a great run and want to practice a style you developed, save the seed at the end for later!
Applying these tips to your strategies should help you through your runs. I can’t force you to choose a playstyle when there are plenty that work, but you won’t ever need to stock up solely on Rare or Legendary Jokers to have a fighting chance. The game’s mechanics are built for you to win via seemingly limitless methods, so embrace the freedom!
