Learning Limit Poker

[Lord Ben 0]

All the poker I've played has been NL games. I've been meaning to go to a local casino and play some 2/4 or 3/6 games. Whatever the lowest is. I have the book, super system, and am planning on reading the limit section after my NL section is memorized.I know there is a difference between playing limit and no limit and the types of hands you play, etc. However, if I'm already a fairly successful NL player would I do okay just sitting down and playing? Other than reading the book can you recommend any other way of practicing effectively first?

[Smasharoo 0]

However, if I'm already a fairly successful NL player would I do okay just sitting down and playing?You'll probably get killed. Limit is a much diffrent and more complex game than NL when played against equally bad opponents.

[Lord Ben 0]

Like for instance if I have AK and an Ace shows up but there are two hearts in NL I'd push in a huge bet to discourage the flush draw. But in limit what do you do? Bet high to max winnnings and hope he folds? Check so you have less invested if a 3rd heart comes up, etc?I can calculate the odds/etc just fine. And I can recognize what people are holding fairly easy too.

[Nudjer 0]

Please don't think your going to do to well because you read super system's limit section. Smash is right you probally will lose your first couple of times trying this. Im telling you from experince that in the lower level 2/4 3/6 games people play to the river, they play and call a raise with the crapiest hands, and hit it on the river it can really piss you off. But you just need to practice, and soon you can kill these lower level games.Another thing go buy super system 2 it has a lot more usefull little gems in it, and Jen H. section on limit holdem is really well done.

[Dirtydutch 8]

Read SSH. SS is worthless at atleast anything under 10/20.Dutch.

[JimD82 0]

It's a completely different game. The strategies you use, hands you plays/raise, situations that you raise in call in are all a lot different. Also, super-system's limit section is not applicable for playing a bunch of scrubs in a 3/6 game. If you try to run people like that over you'll find yourself broke real fast. If you want to learn the best strategy for playing bad players read SSHE.If you're just going to have a good time you can probably break even with common sense alone as long as your cards are all right, but to beat the game you should really read SSHE.

[screech 0]

You will probably get a million of the same replys:Read Small Stakes Hold Em!This is an excellent book that shows how to beat up low limit hold em games. Some concepts can also be applied to other forms of poker as well.Specifically, it shows you how to protect your hand, and get maximum value when you have numerous players in a pot with you.For examply, when trying to protect top pair against a flush, it all depends on your position. If you were in the small blind, and the preflop raiser is in last position, you may want to check and hope he bets so you can make your opponents call two cold if they want to continue on their draws. If however the preflop raiser is to your left, and bets out on the flop and gets multiple callers, your raise won't chase anyone out. However, with AK, you may want to raise for value. If you had a vulnerable top pair, such as 9s or Ts, you may just want to call here, and raise if a safe card comes on the turn.

[jayboogie 0]

your going to think limit is the hardest game ever when you first start playing, just don't be one of those players that start losing and start complaining about how limit sucks and how NL is so much better. I hear it all the time, some players just don't have the discipline to be a successful limit player, but if you become a good limit player, your entire game improves. If your a good limit player, making the change to NL is fairly easy, but going from NL to Limit is totally different.

[mrdannyg 274]

i am almost solely a limit player, and i have always believed limit poker is approximately equivalent to checkers relative to no limit being comparable to chess.the game is easy. you'll lose the first couple times, learning the nuances, etc of your local game, but at the low limits is easy.the best advice i can give is to never ever wuss out on the turn - in other words bet the flop and not the turn. even if you're 'buying a card' with a raise on the flop, still bet the turn. the game i usually play is 2-5, so many chasers will stay to the turn then fold, so that advice becomes less pertinent at higher games, but still.if you hold AK for instance, with no hearts, and it flops K-8-3 with two hearts. you will bet/raise the flop mostly likely. if a third heart turns, people should check to you, in which case i think it is best to bet, even if it is into a slow-play, because then you can go ahead and fold if you believe the flush. if you check, someone will likely steal it behind you, or if you are last, you can expect a bet, and often a raise on the river, so you will not know where you are.also, betting the flush shows strength and people who might've otherwise chased two pairs/trips will fold.and it sounds nice that people will call, when they know they're behind, but its not. one person chasing is fine, but three people chasing two pairs/trips cards will catch up to your top pair extremely often (dont know the stats, but i bet its close to 50%) so you want to discourage this, even though individually they are drawing at a significant disadvantage.sorry to ramble, i'm passing time until my 7pm exam.daniel

[Monster_Josh 0]

All the poker I've played has been NL games. I've been meaning to go to a local casino and play some 2/4 or 3/6 games. Whatever the lowest is. I have the book, super system, and am planning on reading the limit section after my NL section is memorized.I know there is a difference between playing limit and no limit and the types of hands you play, etc. However, if I'm already a fairly successful NL player would I do okay just sitting down and playing? Other than reading the book can you recommend any other way of practicing effectively first?

I'm from WI too :-) I wish I woulda been smart enough to ask this question before I sat. Play online first, free play would be fine, get comfortable with the fixed bets. Understand that first.

[Dirtydutch 8]

You will probably get a million of the same replys:Read Small Stakes Hold Em!This is an excellent book that shows how to beat up low limit hold em games. Some concepts can also be applied to other forms of poker as well.Specifically, it shows you how to protect your hand, and get maximum value when you have numerous players in a pot with you.For examply, when trying to protect top pair against a flush, it all depends on your position. If you were in the small blind, and the preflop raiser is in last position, you may want to check and hope he bets so you can make your opponents call two cold if they want to continue on their draws. If however the preflop raiser is to your left, and bets out on the flop and gets multiple callers, your raise won't chase anyone out. However, with AK, you may want to raise for value. If you had a vulnerable top pair, such as 9s or Ts, you may just want to call here, and raise if a safe card comes on the turn.

Way too try and explain something, jerk.We prefer to be elitist ass-holes about it.Dutch.

[Downstream 0]

I have been playing limit only for about 3 months or so and have never gone broke. I am not exactly raking in the money either, but I have fun. Still playing on that $30 I put in in December. So, just sitting down and playing has worked fine for me. I played the play money tables for a few weeks just to learn the very basics. I have never played NL, except in a tournament setting. I think the crucial thing is to have proper starting hand requirements. Dont play QJ just cause it looks pretty.I am starting to win more now that I play with unchecked agression. Don't be afraid to bet if you dont have the nuts, most of the time those calling stations dont have it either. If everyone pays for their gutshot draw or whatever river draw they are shooting for, you win in the long run. I honestly dont care if they hit their river anymore, I just laugh and hope they are in to call my my nut flush, or TPTK to the river next time. Bluffing and slowplaying are not a part of a winning limit players game. This concept may be hard to grasp for a NL player. You can only slow play the stone cold nuts, and how often does that come up? Bluffing cannot be done because there is always a caller out there at low limit hold em.

[wrto4556 0]

Bluffing and slowplaying are not a part of a winning limit players game.

Huh?

[afan002 0]

honestly, what improved and turned my game around before reading books like SSHE was reading smash's $50 to $1000 posts here. It was like you already have "experience" after reading them. I personally suggest you search through the forum for those threads.

[Downstream 0]

Bluffing and slowplaying are not a part of a winning limit players game.

Huh?

OK, not 100% true. I am talking low limit here, but you probably knew that.Slowplay:Maybe its just Pokerroom, but my tables are almost always passive. Aggression has been serving me well. The way I play, I don't slowplay anything unless its just about the stone cold nuts. You will get callers on nearly any bet. If you dont bet, its almost always checked around. Sometimes you can check raise an aggressor pre flop. Bluffing:I never bluff anymore, been beat too many times by some clown slowplaying AK. Semi-bluffs are good in a situation like this:You have a decent hand preflop, say 10 10, and you raised it. The flop is Q 5 8. You may not have the best hand anymore, but a semi bluff bet will give you some info on your opponents. From what I know of NL, bluffing and slowplay are a much bigger part.

[Blink20 0]

However, if I'm already a fairly successful NL player would I do okay just sitting down and playing?You'll probably get killed. Limit is a much diffrent and more complex game than NL when played against equally bad opponents.

Wow.... this is one of the dumbest comments I"ve read in a while, suggesting that limit is a more complex game then no limit holdem. Granted, against bad opponents, your variance is going to be very high in limit holdem because most of the time you are not even close to a 50% favorite going to the river with all the draws against you. This means you are going to lose with a lot of your hands, but when you win with one, it is going to be a very large pot. Anyway, back to the issue I'm complaining about.There is absolutely no way that limit is more complex than no limit. Limit holdem, and we are talking about the small stakes aspect of it, is a very very simple game. Its more about the odds and the math and making the correct move, which is simply to fold, call, or raise. I am by no means saying that it is an easy game, but when compared to the complexity of no limit, it is.

[SapphireTiger 0]

However, if I'm already a fairly successful NL player would I do okay just sitting down and playing?You'll probably get killed. Limit is a much diffrent and more complex game than NL when played against equally bad opponents.

Wow.... this is one of the dumbest comments I"ve read in a while, suggesting that limit is a more complex game then no limit holdem. Granted, against bad opponents, your variance is going to be very high in limit holdem because most of the time you are not even close to a 50% favorite going to the river with all the draws against you. This means you are going to lose with a lot of your hands, but when you win with one, it is going to be a very large pot. Anyway, back to the issue I'm complaining about.There is absolutely no way that limit is more complex than no limit. Limit holdem, and we are talking about the small stakes aspect of it, is a very very simple game. Its more about the odds and the math and making the correct move, which is simply to fold, call, or raise. I am by no means saying that it is an easy game, but when compared to the complexity of no limit, it is.

okay before anyone goes on a rant...BLINK go find the thread that's about a billion posts long on this.

[Smasharoo 0]

i am almost solely a limit player, and i have always believed limit poker is approximately equivalent to checkers relative to no limit being comparable to chess. Funny how you got it completely backwards like that.

[cashmoneymomma 0]

I would study study study before you go sit down to play limit. Don't go unless you have a decent understanding of the game. I played NL for months before I started playing Limit and I was lost in the Limit game when I sat down before studying it. After I studied it I came back and won $600 in one night playing 4/8. I read Holdem' for Advanced players by Sklansky and Small Stakes Hold 'em by Sklansky. I had to read the books no less than 3 times to grasp an understanding of what he was saying...along with playing the game I really feel like I have a good understanding of the game now and I consistently win at 4/8. Please go in there with an understanding of the game...from the questions you've asked it definitely doesn't sound like you are ready. Invest in some good books...it will definitely save you money in the long run. Good luck!

[Smasharoo 0]

There is absolutely no way that limit is more complex than no limit. Limit holdem, and we are talking about the small stakes aspect of it, is a very very simple game. Its more about the odds and the math and making the correct move, which is simply to fold, call, or raise. I am by no means saying that it is an easy game, but when compared to the complexity of no limit, it is.You're kidding, right?I can teach someone to consistently beat low limit NL in 7 minutes. When you can do that for limit, let me know.

[JaysonWeber 0]

There is absolutely no way that limit is more complex than no limit. Limit holdem, and we are talking about the small stakes aspect of it, is a very very simple game. Its more about the odds and the math and making the correct move, which is simply to fold, call, or raise. I am by no means saying that it is an easy game, but when compared to the complexity of no limit, it is.You're kidding, right?I can teach someone to consistently beat low limit NL in 7 minutes. When you can do that for limit, let me know.

Um... Limit Hold'em is Certainly an extremely complex game, I think you should do a LITTLE more research before you go saying something like that... its insane how much goes into game of LIMIT Hold'em

[711Buddha 0]

There are many people who are right here.Limit can be difficult (especially low limit - no fold'em hold'em)No limit can be very difficult as well.There are similarities, you have to count the pot, watch opponets etc.There are differences, in limit you calculate pot odds to see if you should call with your draw, in no limit you calculate pot odds to see how much to bet to force your opponet who's drawing to fold. I think the SS section on limit is dated. I believe that the limit hold'em section of SS2 is very good advice at higher limits. At low limits, I think SSHE is the book, although I also like Lee Jones. I would encourage you to read both. Phil Helmuth's book is workable as well. The styles are different, and I admit that Jones is too passive, but its a good way to see some hands and not get crushed. I play low limit HE and here's my advice.Don't bluff often. (Don't worry about image, you'll get callers. I've gone sessions without bluffing and done fine.)You can't drive out players who have limped in by raising late or in the blinds, without exception they will pony up. Note: raise for value, not to limit field. Semi-bluff when you have odds.Play 3/6 or 4/8 or higher if you can - at 2/4 the rake eats all your profit. Limit is game of patience.Good luck.

[suckerfish 0]

Playing NL has helped my limit game. NL has taught me to be tighter, more aggressive in the right spots. I'm fearless in a limit game because I already accept that sometimes I'll get sucked out on the river but most times I won't. In NL if I get sucked out on the river (or turn) then it was completely my fault for not betting correctly. Limit takes away that pressure and allows me to play a more mathematical game, and a bad beat will not affect me (ok, maybe 3 in a row...).

[Lord Ben 0]

I'm not trying to be an ass or disagree with anyone here. I just was wondering why limit is considered harder? You know exactly what your betting options are and what your opponents betting options are. To be that seems a bit easier really... but I've never played so please be kind.

[Lord Ben 0]

Also, has anyone played at Oneida in Green Bay or Potowatomi in Milwaukee? Which one would you recommend?