Well, I've been through a few poker nights, myself ...and we usually used ante for the tithe made to the pot just prior to the game, as a sort of admission bet to beef-up the pot and make it worthwhile. And we'd say "c'mon, ante up, now, so we can get started!" or "what's the ante?" (dealer sets the ante for each game). Once in a while, though, you'd hear folks say ante to describe the pot itself..."throw your bet into the ante," "that's quite an ante." When I was dealin' I'd say, before the hand, "Okay, guys, ante up a dollar!" (or quarter, or whatever...)And someone might say, "Aw, c'mon, what're'ya raisin' the ante on this one for?" And I'd reply, "'Cause I want to keep it interesting! If you don't like it, don't play" And they'd grumble and throw their buck in the pot. 3-card "Guts" was the best...if you said you were in and lost, you had to match the pot! (you got 'burned' the pot, we used to say) If three or four guys went in you could make a small fortune on the next hand. And it was a dealer's game...if everybody folded, the dealer took the pot. So the guy next to the dealer had the "bluff seat"...and he had to have greed and brass balls!