Why does the Small Blind exist?
I just got into poker, especially Texas Hold'em, and I'm a bit confused about the Small Blind and Big Blind. What is the purpose of the Small Blind if the player needs to call at least the Big Blind on their next turn anyway if they want to participate in the game? Is there any tactical depth behind it that I'm missing, or is it just a tradition that has always been in place? And is the Big Blind essentially the same as an Ante? (Yes, I know that technically only one player has to pay the Big Blind, but the others need to call it anyway, so is there a real difference?)