Learn Texas Holdem

Question: I've started to hold a home No limt game, which goes down quite well and we all enjoy it. However, every now and then a problem rears its ugly head, that no one seems to be able to solve (because of our joint inexperience with the game). We have a system of raising blinds every 15 minutes. This keeps the game time to around 1 - 1.5 Hours. Which is ideal. This means we can have 3 or 4 tournaments in a session, and nobody is out for too long. My question concerns raising and betting amounts.

Am I right in assuming the following:

1. The minimum bet is always the size of the big blind, for every round of betting.

2. If someone bets bigger than the big blind, initially, the minimum

bet is set at this larger amount and is incremental. E.G. BB = 10. initial bet is 15. A minimum raise after this is 30 (15 + 15) but could any number over 30. The next raise would be the previous raise + 15 etc.

I think that's about it!

Answer: Yes that is perfect. Notice that when a person raises they have to double the initial bet. That's a tool because whenever you bet more then half of the other person's chips it basically commits them if they continue. I like to use that agaisnt players who I want all-in because it makes them feel like they are the one who is doing the raising. For example, if a guy only has $100 left on the river then I may just bet $60 instead of the full $100. It feels better for him and more often then not he will just push the rest in. In tournaments you don't do that kind of thing as much but in cash games you're always trying to trick your opponent into putting too much money into the pot at the wrong time.