How Playing Limit Can Help the No Limit Game

In 2003 when Chris Moneymaker won the Main Event of the World Series of Poker, people of all ages have started playing No Limit Texas Hold Em. They thought if Chris Moneymaker could do it, so could they. With this massive influx of players into No Limit Texas Hold Em, there is one type of poker game that is being overlooked – Limit Hold Em. In fact, before No Limit became so popular, most of the No Limit professionals became so good at No Limit because they had played years of Limit Hold Em first. The truth is, playing limit Hold Em before jumping into No Limit Hold Em is probably the best way to play.

What Limit Can Teach

No Limit Hold Em is thought of as an Art, while Limit Hold Em is thought of as a Science. Yes, the two versions of poker are different, but a player can learn valuable lessons from limit. First, limit teaches players what kinds of hands have value, and why. Since in each hand of Limit Hold Em only a fixed amount of money can be won on each street, all implied odds are gone. Therefore, hands that have value because of their implied odds, hands like small pairs and suited connectors plummet in value. So, what hands go up in value? That is right, hands with big cards, hands like AK, AQ, AJ, KQ etc.

Limit can also teach a player how to spot when his opponent is on a draw and to make him pay to try to catch him draw. Yes, while in Limit Hold Em the player will still be getting the right odds to call the bet and try to hit his draw, it is the ability to spot when the opponent is on the draw that is key. Therefore, when a player masters this ability, he will then be able to bet more and make all his opponents fold their draws or have them incorrectly call when playing No Limit.

The other major skill Limit Hold Em teaches is isolation plays. A good rule in Limit Hold Em is never to play a hand after someone has raised the pot unless the hand is good enough to reraise. In other words, raise or fold. This is to isolate the opening raiser, getting heads up with him. This skill will turn into the art of three betting in No Limit Hold Em, a crucial skill to learn if a player wants to win tournaments.