This game is almost the same as No Limit Texas Hold Em, in that you are dealt two hole cards and there is a flop, turn and river containing a total of five community cards. As in No Limit Hold Em, you make the best five carded poker hand from the seven available to you.
How to Play
The cards are dealt as described in the Texas No Limit Hold Em Guide. Then, as the small and big blind have already acted, it is the player to the left of the big blind to act first. This is where Limit Hold Em is different to No Limit, because as the name of the game suggests the player is limited in the amount in which they can, if they choose to, raise. They are only allowed to raise by one bet. Any players left in the hand then have the option to fold their hand, call the bet or raise, although again limited to only one bet. Action continues clock-wise and all active players have the same option of fold, call or raise until the betting is capped.
Then, as in No Limit Hold Em there are three cards dealt as the flop. Again, the first active player to the left of the dealer button acts first. Action continues clock-wise but as before, any raises can only be in increments of the big blind, to a maximum of four bets.
After the dealer has dealt the turn, the betting action resumes. However, instead of raising or betting one big blind, this time all bets are in increments of two blinds. Once again the betting is capped at a maximum of four bets, which in this round can be a total of eight times the big blind per player.
After the river has been dealt, the players left in the hand can evaluate their hand and bet accordingly. If two players think they have a strong hand, it is entirely possible that the betting will be capped again at four bets (eight times the big blind).
Once the betting has finished if there is more than one active player left, all players show their hand and the best hand takes the pot.
Limit Hold Em can seem a little mundane compared to the all action format and excitement of NLHE, but it has its own techniques and nuances that can provide interest in its own right. Due to the capped betting players can hold more value in drawing hands – hands which can gain in strength with a favourable flop, turn or river.
