Fixed Limit Hold'em Basic Strategy

• 08.06.2025 10:48 pm
• headhunter
• 1 Comment

With the boom of poker, players have been jumping straight to no limit with no basis in limit Hold 'Em. Most great players will tell you this is a big mistake. Players need to be proficient in fixed limit Texas Hold 'Em before they start to play no limit. If not, they are going to lose a lot of money learning the game.

The thing about limit Hold 'Em is that you want to have great starting hands. There is no such thing as betting someone out of a pot here because even people with gut shot straight draw can call with the right odds. You don't want to play too many hands when starting out. This sounds boring, but every good poker player will tell you poker is a boring game. Don't go by what you see on television because the power of editing can make paint drying look fun.

The earlier position, the better your hand should be. You only want to come into the pot with a top five (not even top ten) hand if you are under the gun or in the next seat. In limit Hold 'Em it's too hard to play from behind in early position and it will be costly. As your position gets better, you can loosen up. You will learn though that in lower limits, people will call with any two cards, that's why you have to start strong. The stronger you start, the stronger you can end. Don't come into a pot with 8-3 offsuit just because everyone else is in the hand.

When the flop hits and you have a strong hand, bet and raise. Try to get as many people out of the hand as possible. Unless, you flop a monster (a set, full house, straight) and the board is not scary. In this case, you can check and let your opponents catch up to you.

If you have a drawing hand, you have to consider odds in this situation. There are formulas to figure out and math you can do, but the simple way of thinking is you need at least 5-to-1 on your money to call for a flush or a straight. If you aren't getting this, it isn't worth it. However, you need to consider if any of your cards are dead. If you have a straight draw, but there is also a flush draw out there, your straight is lessened by two cards. Now there are only six cards that will help you.

In limit Hold 'Em there is a thing called semibluffing. Semibluffing works in multiple ways. If you have a strong draw and are in late position, you bet or raise. If you raise in late position and get called by people in front of you, there is a good chance they are going to check to you on the turn. If you missed your draw, you can check behind them and get a free river card. If you hit, you just made an extra bet of money.

Here's an example: You're playing $5/$10 and you have A8d in the cutoff. The flop comes k-10-3 with two diamonds. There is a bet and you make it $10. The bettor calls. The turn brings nothing and the initial bettor checks to you because he is scared of your hand. You check behind and now have only put $10 into the pot to catch your draw. If you just called the flop and the turn it would have cost you $15. Semibluffing helps you save and make money.

Players have to be tight in limit Hold 'Em. If they aren't, the rocks will take advantage of the loose players. Loose players spend too much time putting money into the pot on draws and marginal hands, and not enough time studying their opponents. Always pay attention to what the others at your table have at showdown to see what their starting requirements.