The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky has long been recognized as the foundational book for all of poker no matter what the game, and at the time of this writing is still the best selling book in poker. But that book, while applicable to many aspects of no limit and pot limit poker was originally written mainly with limit games in mind. Dec 03, 2006 Pot limit is very similar to no limit. There are still blinds and they work just the same as no limit. However, at any given time when you bet, you cannot bet more than is already in the pot for that hand. So in a $5/$10 pot limit game, the small blind would put in $5, the big $10. If you are the next player to act the most you can raise is $15. No Limit and Pot Limit – The Player’s Guide. 888poker players are privy to No Limit Poker Games and Pot Limit Poker Games. These are known as betting structures.Each of these betting structures determines the limits that you can bet when it is your time to act.

Poker is a type of card game where the goal is to ‘surpass your opponents’. To achieve this, the players bet on the value of the card-combination dealt to them and place the betting amount into the central game pot. The player, who possesses a hand with the highest value, or remains in the game after all others have folded, emerges as the winner.

Each game of poker carries a structured amount of bets in each round of play. These are generally called limits. The limits of bets may be of three kinds – ‘No Limit’, ‘Pot Limit’ and ‘Fixed Limit’. It is important to understand these before choosing a table. Though there are minor differences, but each variation requires a separate set of strategies, attitude and mind-set.

Betting limit applies to the amount with which a player may open or raise. All poker games have a minimum bet limit, a stated maximum limit or no limit & a pre-decided betting unit in which bets can be made. Usually evaluation of the ‘pot limit’ and the ‘no limit’ poker is done on the basis of structure of the bet, strategies, skills & attitude required to be employed by the player.

Structure of the Bet

Pot Limit –
A pot limit is subjected to the size of the pot. The size of the pot is made of –
a) starting pot, i.e. chips collected from the previous rounds.
b) Previous action in current betting round, i.e. trail.
c) A call from the player making a raise.

In a pot limit game no player can raise more than the size of the pot, but this raise can be less than the size of the pot as long as it is equal to or more than any previous raise or bet in the same betting round. If a player makes maximum raise, its known as ‘raising the pot’. In this variation of the game, players can bet any amount up to the size of the pot or whatever amount they have available with them.

No Limit –
A game played with a no limit betting structure allows each player to raise the bet by any amount up to his entire remaining stake at any time. The limit is only on the minimum side, that is, any bet must be as big as the ‘big blind’ and any raise must be at least as big as the last bet on the round of betting. Each player starts with a certain minimum amount & is allowed to bet any amount over and above the initial amount during any part of the game. When a player bets everything that he has on the table, is referred to as ‘all-in’

Strategies, Skills & Attitude

Pot Limit –

In this format, the players know the maximum limit of betting, so they can set their strategies accordingly. Here the arithmetical nuances of the pot odds need to be understood fully, as the risks and rewards are the result of the pot size. The main aim of each player is to put as few chips into the pot as possible when he/she has a losing hand, and the vice-versa. If the bets are limited so are the rewards.

No Limit –
No limit poker is more a game of attitude and skill and one’s ability to judge the behavior of the opponents which require different strategies and moves to maximize one’s wins. You have to understand how your opponents are going to react to each hand. A good player will make different decisions in similar situations against the same player, to avoid the risk of being read by others. You can also manipulate your opponents by using your skills without even letting them know. Here, a player’s goal is to get his opponents to put as much amount into the pot as possible when he has the best hand. This variation of poker is associated with higher stakes and bigger risks.

Conclusion-
Both the variations of poker are equally thrilling and fun-filled, both need to be played intelligently and skillfully. Bluffing can be a part of both, but utmost caution must be observed so as not to let your opponents know of it. So keep changing your strategies and be alert to your opponents’ moves.

Many poker players now start out by playing no-limit hold’em and this lesson is intended for those looking to make the transition to fixed-limit hold’em. We’ll focus on differences between the two games. While the betting rules are the main difference between the two formats, there are many other strategic differences.

In its most rudimentary form the main difference between the two is that implied odds drive no-limit and in limit making or saving an extra big bet is what separates good players from their mediocre brethren. One might make the analogy of the first game being similar to a roller coaster and the second a carrousel. While some enjoy the thrill of speed, others prefer the comfort of the merry-go-round.

For those who have never really embraced limit play and look down upon it, rest assured that there are many pros that make six figure incomes playing limit hold’em without the roller coaster thrashing to their bankrolls that can accompany no-limit play.

The Key Strategic Differences

The following list of differences between the two forms of hold’em should give you an idea of what to pay attention to if you’re switching from no-limit hold’em

Starting Hands

While many unsuited big card starting hands are regularly and correctly played in limit, those same hands can get a player into a heap of trouble in no-limit. Hands such as AQ or KQ can be played aggressively in limit but they can be a disaster in the making in no-limit, especially if the stacks are deep.

Ability / Inability to Manipulate Pot Odds

This difference is obvious but worth noting. Many poker players who play both games will, on occasion, complain at the tables while playing limit that they cannot protect their hands due to the structured betting. Of course these same players, when turning over a losing hand, do not praise the game for allowing them not to have lost their entire stack.

There still are times when a bet and/or a raise can impact the odds offered opponents in limit and accomplished players are always aware of this dynamic.

The Odds

Certainly the knowledge and proper use of odds has a place in both limit and no-limit play. Due to the heightened emphasis on implied odds, no-limit players can many times continue a hand with the worst of it and ultimately prevail and profit handsomely. In limit play, pot odds take on a much more critical role and relying too heavily on implied odds to justify chasing a draw becomes a major downfall of certain players.

Limit is a more mechanical and structured game and adhering to the odds is a must to succeed.

Information

Players need to understand that while one can bet as much as he likes in no-limit, the size of his bets give away information to his opponents as to the strength of his holding. It is for this reason many no-limit players like to keep their bet sizing constant, to avoid giving too much information away. Of course when they play like this – they are playing like limit players. Ironic, don’t you think?

Protecting Your Hand

Poker Omaha Pot Limit

In no-limit one attempts to manipulate the pot odds to make it ‘incorrect’ for opponents to proceed with draws. Limit players need to focus to the times when being aggressive in an attempt to ‘thin the field’ will work and when knowing all reasonable hands will call your bet anyway. Then your bet/raise will only build a pot that will make it correct for opponents to play.

In limit play pot odds are critical, as implied odds do not take on the emphasis they do in no-limit. Players that fail to make adjustments based upon both the odds they are receiving as well as the odds their opponents are being offered by the pot will not fare well in limit play.

Bluffing

While many believe that bluffing in limit play is a fool’s errand, there is no question that a well timed bluff can work. While bluffs have a much better chance of success in no-limit play, you need to understand that the cost of failure in no-limit can be much higher.

Over the years limit gurus, such as David Sklansky, have advocated that in limit play losing a bet on the end is okay but losing the pot is a disaster. This dictum has led a legion of players to lose a lot of bets on the end and has lost favor in the current limit thinking. Today’s accomplished limit players are not as quick to pay off on the river fearing being bluffed out. This, of course, would indicate that there may well be more opportunities for river bluffs in today’s limit hold’em.

Just know your players, understand the image you have been projecting, assess the board and put yourself in their shoes to evaluate if your bluff is believable.

Stack Sizes

The size of your stack and also your opponents’ has a much greater importance in no-limit versus limit play. Playing with or against a deep stack in no-limit can make significant differences to your strategy. The threat that is evident by the amount of money behind a bet is much larger in no-limit. However it still exists in limit play. In addition, the amount of money a player has on the table also helps create an intimidating presence which can help create positive results in either form of the game.

The Goal

There should be consensus that the single most popular goal of playing poker is to accumulate more chips than you started with. However, in no-limit players are constantly on the lookout for opportunities to double up or take an opponent’s entire stack. In limit play, the accepted guideline for middle limits is to earn one big bet an hour over time. Individual sessions can spike wildly in either direction but a winning player, whether a dedicated amateur or professional, who keeps accurate records will be able to chart this one big bet an hour earn rate.

Conclusion

No Limits Poker

While the two games look very much the same on the surface they are very different. This will become even more apparent as your progress through our lessons on limit hold’em.

No Limit Pot Limit Poker Table

Many players tend to play just one of the hold’em variations, usually being the one they initially learned. There are many others that feel comfortable playing either format. There are then those that can excel at both formats and they are forces to be reckoned with. You should strive to be in this third class of players because they are truly poker players. This third group usually feels right at home with other poker variations such as stud, Omaha, razz and all the different formats. They are truly poker players not just hold’em players.

Pot Limit Poker

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.

No Limit Poker Pub