Limit Holdem

Maybe some already knew this- Maybe Not- But just in case you missed the last one, here's some more info on Limt Holdem.

************************************************** *********
Dear CALVIN,

Here is this week's issue of PokerLetter, the free weekly newsletter
dedicated to profitable poker tips and strategies.

=========================
THIS WEEK IN POKER:
* Learn How to Play Limit Hold'em
=========================

LEARN HOW TO PLAY LIMIT HOLD'EM

There are so many different forms of poker: no limit, Omaha, seven card
stud, razz. The list goes on and on. One great game for beginners is
limit hold'em. There are many differences between limit and no limit
hold'em and before you play you must learn what they are.

In limit hold'em you are trying to get the biggest value out of a hand
as you can. In no limit you have to be careful while doing this because
you are always playing for all of your chips. "I'm going to play a
highly positioned game, so towards the button play more hands, pretty basic
stuff. You are going to play big cards, just be very patient and try to
take advantage of players you think are weaker. Before the flop make
bets to punish them by raising and play well from there," explains limit
hold'em champion Erick Lindgren.

You have to mix up your game. If you are playing at a loose table and
you know that people are going to call you should be raising with all
pairs. If it is really tight you should be raising with low to mid pairs.
If you are playing at a pretty even game it can be a good idea to just
see the flop and how to hit a set.

Another big difference between limit hold'em and no limit is the amount
of the flop that you play in limit. "Limit is for flop players because
you see way more flops then no limit," says Amir Vahedi. "In limit
hold'em, preflop pretty much doesn't exist. You have to have a game
strategy; you have to know when you want to take the pot, when you want to
fire back at the person. You have to have a game plan before you even get
into any flop. You can't just go into it thinking you'll just see what
happens. You have to know exactly what you are trying to represent,
what you have, you have to have an idea about the other person's hand, and
once you get on the flop you must be able to represent different hands,
if you have to. You have to adjust and be changing gears while the hand
is going on. You have to be an excellent flop player if you want to do
some damage in limit."

There isn't too much slowplaying in limit hold'em. You are usually
trying to build a pot to maximize your profits. If you think you are ahead
in the hand you should be trying to get chips into the pot. "If you
have an AQ and you hit a Q on the flop you should probably go ahead and
bet it, typically. That hand should be raised before the flop just to
continue with the lead. Unless you think you can be sneaky and the player
behind you is aggressive, then maybe you can check and check raise.
Basically you are going to bet your hand a lot," Lindgren explains.

Limit hold'em specialist Annie Duke expresses the importance of playing
a tight aggressive game. "Limit hold'em is a very tight game and I the
way you win at this game is by understanding that you are supposed to
play relatively tight, but you are supposed to apply a lot of pressure
to your opponent." You want people to be scared to play pots with you
because of your aggressive style. You must have the patience to wait for
a good hand, and then play it aggressively. Limit hold'em takes a lot
of patience.

Duke also stresses the importance of knowing when to get away from a
hand. "You don't have to win every pot that you play. That is one of the
biggest mistakes that people make, and it is under discussed. If you
miss the board you are allowed to fold. You don't have to try to win
every pot, sometimes you are allowed to give up. People think they have
money in the pot and they have to recover it, but actually that money
isn't yours anymore, it's in the pot, it doesn't belong to you. You don't
have to defend every pot, you are allowed to fold."

So remember when playing limit hold'em that you must be patient and
play a tight, but aggressive game. Intimidate the other players and make
them fear getting involved in a pot with you. Learn to be a good flop
player and know where you are in the hand at moments. Limit is a great
game and can be very profitable for a player that really understands and
strives to learn the game. You can perfect your game playing online for
as little as 10/20 cents or as high as 300/600 dollars. Start small and
work your way up to becoming a winning player.


SHERMSTICK