Limit vs No Limit Poker

In the past, the majority of poker players were playing games with fixed limits. When they attempted to make the switch to a no-limit game, they had to change up their entire strategy. In the modern era, it seems things have flipped, and building strategies for a game with a fixed limit is an issue.

The popularity of the World Series of Poker and the explosion of online casinos has led to a huge interest in both types of poker games. That is why it is important for players to build a strategy for each style of play. In this article, we will look at the differences between limit and no-limit poker, and we will talk about the various odds so that you can begin to create your strategies so you can excel at both of them.

No Limit Poker Games

No limit poker, which is sometimes simply referred to as NL, has a betting structure that gives unlimited raises in al of the rounds. The games are usually described with one of four different numbers: a small blind size, a big blind size, a minimum buy-in, and a maximum buy-in.

Fixed Limit Poker Games

Fixed limit poker has a betting structure that includes limits during each betting round. These limits control initial bets and raises. The games are generally characterized by two different betting sizes: small bets and big bets.

The Odds: Pot, Drawing, and Implied

New to online gambling and playing poker? You need a quick primer on the different kinds of odds to help you build your strategies. The pot odds are the amount you will win, or the pot, when you call a bet versus the amount the call will cost you. Let's break that down a little bit. Let's say your opponent bets $100. If you call that will cost you $100, but let's say the pot will be $500 if your hand wins. This will make the pot odds 5:1 should you choose to call.

The drawing odds are the odds that you won't get the cards that you need to make your hand. Let's say you are drawing to a full house on the river card. The drawing odds are the total of all those cards you can't or haven't seen versus the cards that will give you your hand.

The implied odds are where things start depending on whether you are playing limit or no limit poker. These odds refer to all of the money you could win on the future rounds of betting. You need to first calculate the current pot odds, and then add the amounts that could be called or raised in the subsequent rounds. In a no limit game - well, that could be substantial depending on how many chips your opponents have. In a fixed limit game, you would add the "big bet" to the pot adds to calculate your implied odds.

Build Your Strategy

Now that you understand how to calculate the odds, you can build your limit and no-limit strategies.