02-16-05, LearnTexasHoldem:

What Is A $2/4 Game?

Question: I'm trying to learn the game before I try playing it, so please take this question as one that will clear up a confusing point.

In the last section of your "No Limit Hold'em Versus Limit Hold'em" page, you state that "A $2/4 no limit game is much larger then a $2/4 limit one." What is a $2/4 no limit game? The name states that there is no limit so why the $2/4? I think I know what you're saying in the section, but this makes me wonder if I've misunderstood something regarding limits.

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While I'm asking about limits, another simple question comes to mind. The term 'limits' implies that it is a maximum and that something less than the limit can be wagered. For example, in a $5/10 limit game, the maximum that can be bet on the turn is $10. Can $5 or $7 be bet instead? Or must the preflop and flop bets be in $5 increments only, and the turn and river bets be in $10 increments only? I think the latter is correct, but I'm not sure.

Hope these aren't stupid questions. I don't want to ask them in the casino.

Thanks.

Answer: No question is a stupid one. It is really hard when there is so much jargon and you don't have a starting point. I'm trying to learn how to bowl right now and going around online and reading different sites gives me a new appreciation for simple answers.

You second question first... A $5/10 "limit" game means the stakes are in increments of $5 and $10 like you said. In a $5/10 limit game, the increments you bet are $5 preflop (when you get your cards) and on the flop. The increments for betting and raising on the turn and river cards (showdown) are $10. So there are two betting rounds with the small increment and two betting rounds with the big one.

In limit games, you aren't allowed to bet something between those amounts (unless those are all your chips and you are going all-in). So in the example you gave, you couldn't bet $7 in a $5/10 game.

There is another structure of holdem that does allow this type of betting and it is called spread limit. A $1-4 spread limit lets you bet between $1 to $4 on each betting round. In limit holdem, we describe the level of the game by the stakes -- $5/10. If it were no limit holdem though, and we said it was a $5/10 no limit game, that would describe the blind sizes.

The small blind would be $5 and the big blind would be $10. Another way of describing the size of a no limit game is to state what the buy-in is. A couple examples of no limit holdem games you'll find online are $50 tables and $100 tables; that specifics the max amount you can buy-in for in the game (to prevent people from buying in for say $10k in a $100 game).

Now as for why I said that a $2/4 no limit holdem game was larger than a $2/4 limit game is because generally the amount of money wagered at the no limit game will be more. At the limit game remember, the betting increments will be $2 and $4. When we say a $2/4 limit game, those are the blind sizes and people can bet whatever they want above those amounts (which like I mentioned above, is larger than that of the limit holdem counter part).

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