Advanced Poker Theory: Five Types of Betting Limits

by Bodog Poker | Apr 12 2010

The majority of new poker players play no-limit Texas Holdem. It's the game that they watch the professionals play on television and it's usually the only game offered at their local casino and home games. But there are many different variations of the game of poker, and there are five different betting limits with which a game can be structured. Most variations of poker can be played in either no-limit, fixed limit, spread limit, pot limit and half-pot limit. Each betting limit makes gameplay very different, and one should know the basics if they're going to play games other than no-limit.

No-limit holdem games are the most common and strategy for this game is endless. Players can bet any amount they have in front of them at any point in the hand, as long as it's their turn to play. This game is the most exciting to play because players can force the action and put opponents to the test with a big bet. It also allows players to protect leads they have in a hand by betting an amount that is big enough to make players fold drawing hands. The option to shove in all your chips at once increases the number of bluffs in the game, and naturally creates the biggest possible pots.

Fixed limit poker games have a set amount that can be bet, and a specific number of times that bet can be made each betting round. Usually the betting is capped at four bets each round, and the bet size often doubles on the later streets of a hand. These games offer a structure that will allow someone to play a lot of hands without the danger of losing it all in one pot. Limit games have more hands that go to showdown because players will often be getting the correct pot odds to call one bet when they're on a draw hand. It can be difficult to get opponents off of a hand, and suck outs are more common than in other betting structures due to more hands going to showdown.

A spread limit game is like a limit game but the bettor has a wider range of options. Instead of only being able to bet $2, in a spread limit game one would be able to bet between $2 and $10. This game gives the bettor more options, while still limiting the action to a degree. Spread limit games are not very common online, but you can often find them in casinos that have a quality poker room that offers seven-card stud action. The low range of the spread limit bet is the size of the big blind. Players can make big bets (related to the pot) at the beginning of the hand, but even the top of the betting range isn't very intimidating when a pot is big after the river.

Pot limit games are an interesting blend of limit and no-limit action. These games only allow you to bet up to the size of the existing pot, and as the pot grows so can the size of your bet. This structure is popular with Omaha action because of the many draw hands the game offers. Players will risk drawing to another card because the pot size bet is often close enough to giving opponents favorable pot odds to stay in the hand. To induce even more draw action, half pot limit games give a player even better odds to draw another card. Like spread limit games, half pot limit action is tough to find in today's poker environment.

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