Playing “Limit” Texas Hold‘em: Pros and Cons

By Stoney Lake

Play poker online long enough and you’re bound to end up in a “Limit” Texas Hold’em game either by accident or by curiosity. While most poker players find a limit game to be tedious and one-dimensional, there are some advantages to learning and mastering this version of Texas Hold’em.

When you first experience a “Limit” Texas Hold’em tournament or game, you will very quickly realize the absence of the all-in bet. The void of such a tactical and psychological component can leave many Texas Hold’em players feeling frustrated and annoyed.

Another obvious disadvantage to playing “Limit” Texas Hold’em is the time it takes to complete a game or tournament. Due to the limits placed on the bet sizes, a typical tournament can take five to ten times longer to complete for the same number of entrees.

So, now that you are fully aware of the cons, let us look at the pros to playing and mastering “Limit” Texas Hold’em. First, you will very quickly realize the competitive level is much weaker in the “Limit” games, and to take advantage of this you’ll need to exercise extreme discipline. Newer players to the game of poker, or known also as “fish”, will be inclined to play way too many hands. Not only will they play too many hands, but also they will stay in it excessively long and ride out the river hoping to make a hand.

To be successful in “Limit” Texas Hold’em you will need to adapt an opposite strategy by playing only high-percentage starting hands, and making sure to stay in the pot only if the flop improves your hand. By adapting this strategy, you will soon see the “fish” eliminate themselves from the tournament. As the saying goes, “Patience is a virtue!” and in poker “Patience is Money!”. Learn and practice patience and you will likely find yourself sitting at the final table.

Another pro, or advantage, to playing “Limit” Texas Hold’em is the skill you acquire in playing the percentage game. To be masterful at both “Limit” and “No-Limit” Poker you need to be proficient at the math portion of the game. “Limit” Texas Hold’em can be an excellent training ground for learning and memorizing the mathematical percentages and establishing your personal basis for a starting hand. It is crucial for your success that you have a very good understanding of the one component that is constant, and that is the math portion of the game.

Now that you are aware of the pros and cons of playing “Limit” Texas Hold’em you will be in a better position to take advantage of the experience. If you utilize “Limit” Texas Hold’em to improve your skills, do not be surprised to find yourself at the final table and end up with an improved overall game. You just may find this version of Texas Hold’em to be a very profitable learning experience.