Learn Texas Holdem

In the past, many players started out by learning spread-limit or fixed-limit poker, where one could bet a pre-determined amount at each stage. After the poker boom, many of these players switched their focus to no-limit due to all the new action.

However, once the poker boom happened, many new players began with no-limit hold'em, since that is what they had seen on television. In addition, 20th Century poker players had no real venue to play no-limit unless they were willing to play very high stakes. Today, you can buy into a no-limit Texas hold'em game for as little as $20.

If you are a no-limit online Texas Holdem player who is interested in starting to take up fixed-limit Texas hold'em, you are going to have to make some adjustments. Limit is a very different game, and understanding this before you start may save you a considerable amount of money.

No-Limit to Limit: Hand Selection

If you're coming from a no-limit environment, you may have gotten away with playing some very creative hands. Unfortunately, limit hold'em allows much less room for creativity than the no-limit version. It's very difficult to bluff somebody out of a pot if you miss with your unusual hand, because it is always relatively cheap to look you up in limit. It's also difficult to win a big pot when you flop a well-disguised monster hand due to the fixed bets. Since these are the two main ways to win money with unusual hands, playing these kinds of holdings has limited utility in limit hold'em.

No-Limit to Limit: Environment

In a live limit hold'em game you may actually often find your opponents friendlier than in a no-limit game. Since each hand is not potentially life-or-death, there is often much less tension around a fixed-limit hold'em table. This is not to say that people never let their emotions get the better of them at limit, but many people find limit to be a much more relaxed way to play poker.

No-Limit to Limit: Mathematics

While an understanding of the mathematics is important to success in any form of poker; in limit it is absolutely crucial. The way you remain a consistent winner at limit poker is by winning extra bets when you have the best hand, saving bets when you might not and making the highest percentage play at all times. The psychological element that is often the key to no-limit poker will not bail you out of mistakes in limit hold'em. You must know the math to succeed.