Limits in No-Limit Hold'em
Setting
Limits in No Limit Hold'em
Players
love the fast-paced, win-it-all/lose-it-all excitement
of No Limit Texas Hold’em, but underneath the
all-ins and huge bets there’s a method to the
madness. Unfortunately, in spreading the game to the
masses, TV has left many players without the
fundamental discipline needed to succeed. With the
World Series of Poker in full swing, let’s take a
few minutes to highlight a few basic principles that
will make you more competitive in no-limit
tournaments.
Perhaps
the most important rule is to play within the limits.
Just because you can bet all of your chips at any time
doesn’t mean you should, particularly in early
rounds. Take time to learn about your opponents, and
make raises based on the betting limits set by the
blinds. If the blinds start out at $10/$20, try to
keep your bets congruent with this level of play.
Raising all-in on the first hand or early action is
not the way to go. After all, how much can you
possibly win? Players have just taken their seats;
they’re timid and very unlikely to call. Unless you’re
holding the absolute nuts and there’s already a ton
of money in the pot, take it slow, and plan on
building your chip stack over time. Bet two times the
big blind, or raise by the current limits. This will
benefit you in the long run: You’ll gain information
and other players’ respect because you’re
disciplined and in it for the long haul.
Another major mistake in no-limit holdem—one that is
often committed by online players—is playing the
leader board and not the table. In no limit
tournaments, try to win your table. Don’t worry
about how many chips the leaders have. As long as you’re
winning your table, you’ll eventually get a chance
at their chips. No one has ever busted out of a
tournament while consistently winning his or her
table. It’s good to know where you stand in the
pack, and you’ll eventually need to make a move, but
be patient. Play your hand, at your table. Remember:
The chip leaders will need to go through you at some
point. Don’t do them any favors by taking yourself
out of the game.
Lastly,
be patient as you play. You need to stay focused and
patient to make it through a no-limit holdem
tournament that may last hours (or perhaps days). Pick
your spots, and always remember that anything can
happen. You can go from short stack to chip leader in
15 minutes—or from first to eating dinner in the
hotel lounge in a matter of seconds. Don’t be afraid
to play aggressively, but don’t play stupidly. The
greatest downfall for inexperienced tournament players
is thinking they need to make a big move when they’re
just fine. Panicking or getting anxious makes you play
hands you’d normally muck. You start to think, “Well,
if I can hit with this 9-J off-suit, I can double up
and be right in the hunt.” Wrong! What will happen,
more often than not, is that you’ll either fail to
hit the flop and waste chips or hit and lose to a real
hand (A-J or a high pocket pair). Remember what your
mother said: “Patience is a virtue.”
No-limit
holdem poker isn’t about going all-in or betting
half your chips just because you can. It’s about
being disciplined, knowing when to go outside the
betting structure to win a large pot, and knowing when
to bet within the limits to gain information and grow
your chips slowly. As with everything in poker, this
is not a hard and fast rule. Take these fundamentals
and apply them to your style of play, and I guarantee
you’ll find yourself lasting longer—and even
winning no-limit tournaments in no time.
