Fixed Limit Poker,
Betting Strategy
May 9 2008
Strategy for Limit poker is different than it is for No Limit in many ways. One of the most important strategy differences lies in calling bets. In No Limit, bets are larger and calls are usually based on what pot odds you’re getting. In Limit poker it’s much easier to get proper odds on your draw because the bets are small compared to the pot, hence the name “no foldem Holdem.” Players stick around more often in Limit Holdem to “look you up,” or they call a river bet with second pair or top pair, weak kicker.
Making marginal river calls in Limit Holdem should be dependent on how the hand went down and the player type of the bettor. The most common situation where you should make these types of calls is against a tight player with a rag flop. There’s no shortage of this type of player, and when you’re at a table with them you will want to make sure that they’re not stealing from you.
Let’s say a tight player raises pre-flop in a late position and the flop has rags in it like 8c, 6h, 3s.
You call the raise with A-6 suited. You check your second pair and he bets. The bet is only half the size after the flop, so you call to see what might come on the turn. The turn is a 2 and you check and call again. The river is a 4 and he bets one more time after you check. One should call this bet because there’s a good chance this player is just making continuation bets with two big cards. You don’t have anywhere near the nut hand, but you do have a piece of the board that has missed any big cards with which the tight player would have raised.
Bluffing isn’t as common in Limit Holdem as it is in No Limit, but there is still lots of it going on. You shouldn’t blindly call with second pair all the time, but when you think your opponent has missed, and you have a piece of it, it won’t break you to make the odd river call.
Do you know your limits? Learn about online poker game limits in the
Bodog Poker Guide.
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