From a personal point of view shorthanded fixed limit texas holdem (what an awkward and long name for a poker game.) is the funniest poker game to play on the internet. Players who primarily understand No-Limit online poker may completely miss out on the concept of how important a single big bet is in Limit poker. In a game of No-Limit, playing 200+ big blinds deep, a single big bet is relatively insignificant to the total amount of chips at risk to be gained or lost. No-Limit is a game of outplaying your opponent - maximizing your wins, minimizing your losses. Fundamentally, when it comes to Fixed Limit Poker, you are supposed to bet one amount at a time and will only re-raise a set number of times for a street. This will set a limit to the number of decisions that are available to you and this being the case, there is the question of whether a player is right or wrong. Online poker rooms can provide a huge variety of tables and when it comes to limit poker, selecting the perfect level is crucial. Since the pots are smaller than in no-limit poker, relative to the. It’s very similar to fixed limit except the amount of the allowable bet is fixed to a range rather than a particular amount. For example in a $1-$3 spread limit poker game you have the option to bet or raise anywhere from $1 to $3. The normal restriction is that each bet or raise must be at least the size of the previous bet or raise.
In addition to the many forms of poker, there are also several betting variations that are played. In our rules of poker lesson we explained how to play Texas hold’em but we didn’t mention the betting limits in our example hand, as it may have been a case of too much, too soon. In this poker lesson we’re going to use hold’em as the game format – but this time using the different betting variations; fixed-limit, pot-limit and no-limit.
For simplicity we’ll assume a hold’em poker game with a small blind of $1 and a big blind of $2. While the three different betting structures will all be posting the same amount, you’ll see a big difference in how the games will play due to the different betting variations.
Fixed Limit
In fixed limit, as its name implies, one’s choice of how much to bet is fixed by the stakes. Using our example of $1 and $2 blinds, the player “under the gun” (this is the first player to the left of the big blind) has three options.
- He may call the $2 big blind.
- He may raise but is only permitted to raise $2 as the limits are fixed.
- He may fold and sit out this hand and wait for a new deal. He may not check as the purpose of the blinds is to create the initial action.
If anyone wishes to raise then they can only do so in increments of $2, as shown here:
After this first round of betting the dealer delivers the flop. Players are still limited to a maximum bet of $2 and raises of $2. However, on the turn and river the betting amount doubles, so in our example the betting would now be in $4 increments. These are known as ‘big bets’. There isn’t a choice of betting either $2 or $4. If one now wishes to bet, the amount must be $4 and raises must be in $4 increments. In fact, a fixed limit game with blinds of $1 and $2 is called a $2-$4 game due to the early betting rounds being limited to $2 and the last two rounds doubling but limited to $4.
In fixed limit games, each round of betting usually has a maximum number of allowable raises, which is generally capped at three. If there’s a bet, it can usually only be raised three times, after which all players must call, or fold. In a $2-$4 game the most a player could wager on the first two betting rounds would be $8 (a call, raise, raise, raise) and $16 on the turn and river, if the betting was capped. It’s worth pointing out that some venues will allow more than 3 raises per betting round, so be sure to know the house rules before you sit down and play.
It is generally believed that the primary strategy for a fixed limit hold’em poker game stresses the importance of value betting. We will be explaining and expounding upon value betting and other strategic nuances of poker in later lessons but for now just know that value betting occurs when you actually want your opponents to call your bets as you believe you hold the best hand. So just save this little nugget of information for later in your poker development.
It’s also worth briefly mentioning a variation on fixed limit called spread limit poker. It’s very similar to fixed limit except the amount of the allowable bet is fixed to a range rather than a particular amount. For example in a $1-$3 spread limit poker game you have the option to bet or raise anywhere from $1 to $3. The normal restriction is that each bet or raise must be at least the size of the previous bet or raise. For example if the action is on you and an opponent raised $2 you could not re-raise $1. Your options for re-raising would be either $2 or $3.
Pot Limit
In pot limit play the amount a player can wager is determined by the size of the pot, hence the name pot limit. Pot limit play can get a whole lot pricier than limit play. As the size of the pot grows, the size of the bets can also increase. Let’s review an example using the same stakes of a $1 and $2 blind structure, as we did in limit play.
In pot limit the first player to the left of the big blind has the same options as the player in fixed limit in terms of calling, raising or folding. The difference is in how much he can raise. Calling would simply be matching the $2 posted big blind. Folding requires nothing but mucking (throwing away) your cards. If the player wishes to raise he can raise to a total of $7. How that number is arrived at is as follows: small blind bet of $1 plus the big blind bet of $2 plus a call of $2 equals $5, which would be the raise. The raiser is then calling $2 and raising $5 for a total of $7.
To demonstrate the dramatic difference between our first variation of betting in fixed, let’s see what can happen after the flop in pot limit.
With $31 in the pot, the first player can bet anywhere from $2 to $31. The next player has several options, but if he wishes to raise then the minimum amount he can raise is the size of the previous bet. The maximum he can raise is $93 more ($62 in the pot, plus the call of $31), meaning his total bet would be $124. Wow, this could get expensive!
The thing to remember in pot limit is a player who wishes to raise first counts the amount he would need to call and adds it to the pot and then can raise the size of the pot. As you can see the betting in pot limit hold’em can escalate much quicker than in fixed limit hold’em. The emphasis in pot limit is placed on post flop play. The reason for this is that you can normally see flops fairly cheaply before the pot grows to the size where raises can get pretty expensive. So our nugget to remember at this juncture for the betting variation of pot limit is to focus to strong post flop play.
No Limit
No limit hold’em has been called by many but most notably, Doyle Brunson (legendary poker player), as the ‘Cadillac of poker’. Its name says it all – there is no limit, except the size of the blinds. Still using the same blind structure as $1 and $2, the first player to act can call, fold or raise. The difference from the other two structures is that a player can raise a minimum of the size of the big blind, but his maximum allowable bet is only limited to the chips he has in front of him at the table (the amount he started the hand with). If there has been a bet beforehand, then the minimum raise amount would be the size of the previous bet. For example, if a player bets $50 then if the next player wishes to raise he must bet at least $100. This is the same as in pot limit, but with one big different, there is no maximum limit.
To use an extreme example to demonstrate the dynamic this format of betting offers, let’s imagine a player in the same $1 small blind and $2 big blind game that happens to have $10,000 in front of him. The action is on him and if he wishes to play he must at least call the $2, however he can elect to raise his entire $10,000!
So you thought pot limit could get expensive – not compared to no limit.
Please bear in mind that although this player has gone all-in for $10,000 – it’s really only $200 – which is the total amount the other player can wager. He can’t win money that another player doesn’t have, and vice versa. This is not like the movies! If you recall the scene from the classic western comedy ‘A Big Hand for the Little Lady’ – she gets up during the middle of a poker hand and runs to the bank to get the deed for the ranch – to call someone’s bet. Well, you can’t do that in Texas hold’em. You can’t do that in any casino anywhere in the world. Poker is always played at table stakes, and table stakes means you can only wager the amount of money you have in front of you when the hand begins. You can’t reach into your wallet mid-stream and pull out more money. You certainly can’t run and get the deed to your ranch, and toss that into the pot – or the keys to your BMW, as a way of calling a bet. That’s the movies – not real life!
Conclusion
The betting variations described in this lesson are listed in order of excitement, danger, risk and reward. The first variation, fixed limit is safer than either of the other two due to the limit which can be bet. As you can see both pot limit and no limit can become daunting as the amounts bet and raised can escalate very quickly. Which you may favour becomes a matter of taste. Some prefer the smooth, relaxing ride of a carousel while others crave the adrenalin rush offered by a roller coaster.
Related Lessons
By Tom 'TIME' Leonard
Tom has been writing about poker since 1994 and has played across the USA for over 40 years, playing every game in almost every card room in Atlantic City, California and Las Vegas.
Related Lessons
Related Lessons
Limit poker is perhaps the most popular format in land based casinos and at real money online poker websites. This is because limit poker rules allow for a relatively straightforward game, which is set by the two bet limits. It is less difficult to understand than pot limit poker and is more applicable to micro, low and mid tier stakes levels than no limit poker.
Limit Poker games are where skill and discipline are learned and earned one big bet at a time. Welcome to LimitPokerSites.com, where we will aim to provide the best information, reviews, and strategy to limit poker players. With so much old and outdated information on other sites, we bring fixed limit poker into 2019 with training guides, poker deposit bonuses and rakeback deals for limit poker grinders.
Best Fixed Limit Poker Sites
Online Fixed Limit Poker No Deposit
Fixed Limit Poker Basics
A betting limit is a restriction placed on the amount that a player is able to open or raise during a poker game. To cater for various betting preferences, every online poker room offers at least three forms of limits:
Limit Poker: Also known as fixed limit poker, this style utilizes a low and high bet limit that is fixed by rule. The high limit is set to double that of the low limit in order to allow players the ability to bluff or make a protection play. Limit poker games operate with a betting cap that may consist of one bet and three raises per round before said round is considered capped.
No Limit Poker: The simplest limit type. No limit means that players can raise the bet however much they want to. No limit poker games usually carry a minimum opening bet and any raise must be at least the size of the previous wager.
Pot Limit Poker: Pot limit works on the premise that players can raise as much as the size of the game’s total pot but no more. There is also a minimum raise stipulation that requires players to make a raise that is at least the size of the previous bet or raise during the betting round.
Limit Poker Games And Variations
Almost every game of poker is offered in fixed limit format, and several poker games use a limit betting structure exclusively. When talking about how to play limit poker some of the types of limit poker games we’ll be talking about include:
- Texas Hold’em
- Stud Poker Games
- Draw Poker Games
- Mixed Poker Games
- Lowball Poker Games
Many of these limit poker games include other types of games, as an example Stud Poker games includes 7 card and 5 card variations, as well as hi and hi-low variations. Mixed Poker games include games like H.O.R.S.E and the new 8 game mixed options.
How Limit Poker Sites Work
Limit poker games are identified by two wager numbers. For example, a limit poker game may carry a $2/$4 limit or a $5/$10 limit. The first limit number represents the low bet limit. The low bet limit is most commonly used during the first two rounds of betting. The low limit number also identifies the big blind for the game. A limit poker game with a $2/$4 limit therefore means the big blind is $2. The second limit number represents the high bet limit which is used for the last two betting rounds for Texas Hold-Em or Omaha poker games. Fixed limit Seven Card Stud games use the same limit structure except the higher limit is used for the last three betting rounds.
Real Money Fixed Limit Poker Games Online
As a standard, we’ll be creating this site as a guide to playing limit poker online. A lot of the concepts will apply to live limit poker, but this site will be focused on online limit poker games and how to make the most money possible clearing rakeback and online poker bonus offers. Some of the concepts we’ll talk about include:
- Limit Poker Strategy
- Fixed Limit Tournaments
- Limit Poker Training Videos
- Limit Poker Rakeback
- Math, Probability, and Odds
- VIP and Loyalty Programs Focused On Limit Players
- Deposit Bonus Clearing On Limit Poker Tables
Before you make a real money online poker deposit make sure you are up to date on all the deposit and payment methods available in your country. Poker Stars is not only the biggest poker site in the world but also has the most fixed limit poker games for real money. It is no surprise that Poker Stars is also the easiest poker site to deposit at for fixed limit tables. Full Tilt Poker also offers easy US deposit and withdrawal methods and is the second most popular limit poker site.
Betting Caps
Limit poker games all carry a betting cap. This limits each betting round to only three or four raises by the players. The cap works in conjunction with the two betting limits to keep the game within reach for players regardless of how excessive their bankroll may or may not be. For instance, in a game with a $1/$2 limit, a cap at three or four raises means that no player will be able to raise over $8. The cap forces the game to continue on to the next betting round and helps minimize the overall potential losses for the players by capping excessive raising during a betting round.
Drawing Odds
Limit poker allows the casual player to succeed by focusing on the statistical odds and mathematics portion of poker rather than the psychological aspect. All limit poker sites operate their limit games with the higher limit being twice the size of the lower limit. For example, if the lower limits are $1, $10 and $15, the higher limits will always be $2, $20 and $30 respectively. There will never be a limit game of $4/$7 or anything similar. This means that the worst odds a player could experience during any limit game is 2:1 on the money they wagered.
Experiencing 2:1 odds in limit poker is not very prevalent, however. It requires a specific sequence to occur. For instance, a $2/$4 limit game could have a $4 big blind for a pot of $8 total if both the small blind and big blind players were to have checked on the flop. However, not many limit games immediately see all the players fold to the small blind in the early stages of the game. So, the $4 big blind and $8 total, which make 2:1 odds, turns into a 3:1 odds if there are more than 2 players still in.
Basic Limit Poker Strategy
Online Fixed Limit Poker Real Money
Compared to no limit poker games, limit players will not be able to win every single hand played during a limit game. This requires players to focus on the statistical odds of each circumstance to win the advantageous hands and minimize the number of hands that they misplay.
No Limit Poker Free
The slower game play of limit poker places a greater emphasis on playing hands without great cards. Limit poker players eventually learn that they have to work with suited connectors and medium pairs while only rarely bluffing since it is usually inexpensive to call out a bluff in a limit game.