Poker Game Limits

Poker Game Limits

For several of our games we offer 3 different game types: No Limit, Pot Limit, and Fixed Limit. The game type you choose will decide the amount you are able to bet each turn for each betting round. We'll start with Fixed Limit:

Fixed Limit Poker

In a Fixed Limit game, both the bet and raise amounts for each round are a preset amount, which is listed under the "stakes" column for that table. For example, in a R5/R10 Fixed Texas Hold'em game, both the bets and raises for the first two rounds of betting must be R5, no more, no less. The last 2 rounds have a bet/raise amount of R10.

The Cap

In Fixed Limit games, each round of betting has a maximum number three (3) of allowable raises, known as the cap. So, if a bet is made, that bet can only be raised three (3) times, after which all players must call, or fold. However, if only two players remain in the hand the cap is increased, to a maximum of five (5) raises. This rule is in effect for all the betting rounds, with the idea being to speed up play.

Fixed Limit games are popular because they are safe. While pots can still climb quickly, on average fixed limit pots stay pretty consistent in size and stay the smallest for the three game types. In other words, it's a lot harder to lose all your chips right away. This makes a Fixed Limit game more attractive to beginners, who are still learning the game play.

Pot and No Limit Games

Once you understand the rules for Limit games, the rules for No Limit and Pot Limit games will be easy to learn. The difference between these games is the amount a player may bet at any one time.

Pot Limit (PL)

For a Pot Limit game, you can't bet more than the current pot amount plus whatever it takes to call the previous bet. The minimum bet is the big blind. (R10 in our R5/R10 game) and if a bet is made, any raises must be equal or greater than the previous raise.
Sound complicated? Let's look at an example: let's say we're playing a R5/R10 PL game and the pot has reached R100. A player bets the minimum R10. You've got a great hand and you want to raise the maximum.
The bets in a 'PL' game climb pretty quickly, making for some exciting action. There is no cap to the number of raises per betting round, so you can keep raising until you run out of money.

No Limit (NL)

As the name implies, there are no maximum limits in No Limit poker. You can bet your whole stack at any time. The minimum bet is the high stake, or the big blind amount (R10 in or R5/R10 game). Just like' PL', your raise must be at least equal to the previous bets/raises and like 'PL', there are no caps to the number of raises per betting round, so a stack of chips can be lost pretty quick.

In both 'PL' and 'NL', if somebody bets or raises you more than your current chip stack, you can call "All In." In this case, any further raises go into a side pot, which you aren't a part of. So, if you've got the best hand, you'll win the main pot that holds your 'All-In' bet and the side pot will go to the person with the next best hand (as long as they contributed to the side pot).

For online poker 'PL' and 'NL' games a 'bet slider' is displayed when it is your turn to act. The sliders boundaries represent your minimum and maximum bet, so you're able to move the slider to bet anything in between, or you can type your raise amount in the bet field.