Limit Holdem Hands – Part 2

There is an old saying that Limit Texas Hold ‘Em is a science, while No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em is an art.
There is a LOT of truth to that and players who understand the difference are those who win at both games.

In No-Limit Hold ‘Em, your greatest weapon is your ability to bet any or all of your chips at any time. This added freedom in the betting structure is what makes No-Limit more an art form than a science. You are playing on the emotions (usually fear) of the other players. This is NOT true in a Limit Hold ‘Em game, where the bets are structured.

The most important concept for any Limit Hold ‘Em player to grasp and execute is the concept of folding poor starting hands, and understanding the relative hand strength of his starting cards—his hole cards.
Bluffing in a Limit Hold ‘Em game, especially a low money value Limit game, will get you into trouble and it is highly suggested that you do not do it. The maximum amount of your bluff bet will not be enough to scare off players who may have you dominated. They will call you, time and time again, and chances are you will lose time and time again.

To do well in Limit Hold ‘Em, you need to have discipline and above all else, patience. As mentioned above, Limit Hold ‘Em is a science and you simply have to fold your hands until you get something worth playing.
Even if you have KQ—and a good poker player raises in front of you—chances are you are dominated. Fold the hand and wait for a better opportunity.

Next in importance to having a strong starting hand is the concept of seeing the flop for as little money as possible pre-flop.
If there is a lot of betting and raising going on pre-flop and you don’t have a killer hand, it is better to fold. Remember, this is a game of science and the analogy would be Limit Poker is like chess, while No-Limit is like dodge ball!
So, what kinds of hands should you keep?
If you are early in position, then you need a very strong hand to call the big blind. Always remember that those behind you still have to act. If someone bets strong and someone else raises, you will have to fold your hand and will lose your investment (paying the big blind). The only other choice you have in this case is to call the bets and hope you get something on the flop.
In early position, all high pairs are worth fighting for. AA, KK, QQ and JJ and 10,10. This is if you are at a 9 or 10 player table. If you are at a table with only three or four players, you can call with any pair. The fewer players there are at a table, the less powerful your hand must be in order to call. This rule of thumb applies to any type of Hold ‘Em game.
If you are in mid-position, you can call with the hands mentioned above as well as high suited connectors.
If you are in late-position and no one else has raised, you can call with all of the above as well as lower pairs and mid-suited connectors or high flush possibility cards.
Remember, in Limit Hold ‘Em, you want to see that flop for as little money as possible. If you hit on the flop, you can play more aggressively, and, in fact, you must play more aggressively in order to run some of the other players out. You don’t want them to draw on you or get lucky on the River.

Another factor to remember is if you are playing against GOOD Limit players, they, too, will be waiting for the best hands. Keep this in mind. If a tight player is calling the blind in order to play the hand, it is very common for him to have a strong hand.
The only way to learn the correct way to play Limit Hold ‘Em is to play. You can find online games that offer practice tables (meaning you are not playing for real money) and it is highly suggested that you take advantage of this before you begin playing for real money.