Different playing styles and strategies are required for pot limit and no limit poker if you want to win big. Here’s an example of how to bet in each game format (no limit and pot limit Texas Hold’em Tournament play). My previous posting covered no limit and pot limit cash game play.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

In this example, the format is of less importance. Your primary concern is how players behind you are going to respond to your play.

POT LIMIT

If you check and nobody raises you, the Aces are in serious jeopardy as you have let draws in and you can still only bet the pot. If you check-raise successfully, you may force players to fold, and also to make them play more cautiously in future. However, if you bet the pot you are still letting people call with drawing hands for a reasonable sum, and if the maniacs only call, it’s likely more people will come in as the action moves round the table as there are so many chips on offer.

NO LIMIT

Here, you face similar problems to the same scenario in pot limit, but if you can make a big raise of say, 250-400, you may shut out any draws and suck in the players ho call big raises. However, you risk everyone folding.

The answer here is not so much to do with the betting format as how you play the Aces. You should play them in the same manner as other hands in order not to arouse suspicion. Pot limit is great for this, as making a pot-sized raise can mean a wide variety of hands. In no-limit, you will need to be careful to bet similar amounts most of the time so as to not give the strength of your cards away. Remember that if you have bet out strongly pre-flop, you can keep betting strongly afterwards, but if you try for a check raise and fail, you will need to proceed with caution.
Check out my last posting for an example of Pot Limit and No Limit betting in Texas Hold’em Cash Game play.

Kishan Neilsen

Kishan is a US based online poker professional. Like many online pros he plays under several screen IDs and you’ll find him at tables at Bookmaker Poker and BetOnline Poker.

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