Limit Hold'em Rules

Limit hold'em is the most popular game both online and in live casinos. If you're a beginner, you'll almost certainly start by playing limit. In limit, there are predetermined bets for each round. For example in a $1-$2 limit hold'em game, all bets and raises during the betting rounds before and immediately after the flop are $1, while bets for the turn and the river are $2. Typically the big blind in limit hold'em is equal to the bets required in the first two rounds, and the little blind is half a bet.

Now let's take a look at how the action would proceed in a $1-$2 limit game. With the button in place (in front of Tom), the blinds are posted. It's $.50 for the little blind (Butch) and $1 for the big blind (Norm).

The action starts with the player to the left of the big blind, Wendy. (This position is often referred to as "under the gun".) She can call $1, raise to $2, or fold.

In this hand, everybody folds up until Ed, who raises to $2. Tom then calls, and both blinds call.

At this point, the bets are stacked into the middle of the table and the dealer puts out the flop.

Now the betting starts to the immediate left of the dealer button (Butch). He can check or bet $1. In the example below, Butch checks, Norm bets, then Ed raises to $2. Tom and Butch decide to fold. Norm calls.

After Norm calls, the dealer places the turn on the table and another round of betting begins. In this round, all bets are double: both bets and raises must be $2. Below we see that the turn is Kc. Norm bets and Ed calls.

The dealer places the river on the table and the final round of betting begins. Again, each bet and raise must be $2. In this round, Norm bets and Ed calls, bringing the total in the pot to $20.

The players show their cards. Here Norm wins the pot with three kings, which beat Ed's two-pair, aces and kings.

And that's how limit hold'em works. (Although the betting in this example was rather strange. If you get 3 Kings, make sure to raise!) Some online destinations offer micro-limit games that run as cheap as $.25 or $.50. Other low-limit games use 2/4, 3/6, and 5/10 structures. On the other end of the spectrum, limit hold'em games get about as expensive as you can imagine. As you improve, you should be able to find a level that both you and your wallet are comfortable with.

But limit isn't the only form of hold'em you'll come across. There's also the big-bet variety.

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