Installment #3:

The Betting Sequence for Limit Texas Hold'em

In a typical $4-$8 limit hold'em game, the blinds are $2-$4 (one-half the size of the minimum and maximum bets). The most you can bet or raise on the first two betting rounds is $4. On the deal (before the flop), the first player to act can fold, call by placing $4 in chips in the center of the table, or raise by placing $8 in chips in the middle. If someone raises before it is your turn to act, you can fold, call the raise by putting in $8, or reraise to $12. On the flop (the second betting round), the bets are again limited to $4 increments.

The size of the bet doubles on the turn (the fourth community card) and the river (the fifth community card). For example, if you are the first player to act on the turn, you must bet exactly $8. If someone bets before it's your turn to act, you can raise to $16. If a player wants to put in another raise after you have raised, he can reraise to $24. Card rooms usually allow three or four raises on each round of betting.

It's a good idea to start your hold'em poker adventure by playing limit hold'em. Because it has fixed betting limits, most novice hold'em players feel more comfortable playing limit hold'em than no-limit hold'em. In limit hold'em games, you know the minimum amount of money it will cost you to play a hand if the pot isn't raised. If the pot is raised, you can decide whether you want to pay the maximum. Casinos spread far more limit Texas hold'em games than no-limit games because they know that players' bankrolls last longer when the betting limits are fixed.

The Betting Sequence for No-Limit Texas Hold'em

You can bet as much money as you want to gamble with in no-limit hold'em, in contrast to limit hold'em where you can bet only a fixed amount. Suppose the size of the small blind is $1,000 and the big blind is $2,000 at the championship table of a World Poker Tour tournament you're watching on television. The dealer has just dealt two cards to each player. He has not dealt any community cards yet. The player sitting to the immediate left of the big blind is the first person to act. He has to match the size of the big blind (call) if he wants to play his cards. In this example, $2,000 is the least that he can bet in order to play the hand.

If he wants to raise, he must bet at least double the amount of the big blind, $4,000. He also can raise any amount up to the number of chips he has in his stack. For example, if he has $80,000 in front of him, he can raise to $30,000 by announcing, "Raise to $30,000." Or he can bet his entire $80,000 by saying, "All in."

Since you can lose all your money on a single bet in no-limit hold'em, you must be willing to take big risks with your premium hands. Big bets with all-in moves increase the drama on televised tournaments. Of course, no-limit hold'em is played in tournament mode only on TV, which also adds to its glamour.

How Much Should You Bet in No-Limit Hold'em?

Watching televised tournaments, it is sometimes hard to understand why players bet as many or as few chips as they do. Deciding how much to bet or raise in no-limit hold'em games can be quite a challenge for new players. Experienced no-limit hold'em players follow a few general rules-of-thumb that help them determine how much to bet. For example, when you are the first person to enter the pot, you usually should raise three to four times the size of the big blind. Naturally, there are exceptions to this general strategy. Sometimes you might just call the minimum bet. Or you might bet five or six times the size of the big blind. In special situations, you should move all in. It takes some practice to get the hang of how much to bet, but eventually you will get the feel of things and become more comfortable with your bets and raises.

Next Month's Installment #4:

Reading the Board Cards

Enjoy Yourself - and Win Some Money!

Tips for Winning at Limit Hold'em