Top 5 Adjustments

[Invigilator]

So, I qualified for a Limit Hold'em freeroll through the Fantasy Poker thing on FT. The thing is, I have never played limit before. I am going to get in some practice freerolls, but...

What would you say are the 5 main adjustments that a player needs to make in Limit Hold'em, if almost all of their experience has been in NL Hold'em?

(this is just to get my thoguht process going)

[Zybomb]

- Learn odds and mathamatics -- Limit poker can be played by a robot, chasing all kind of ridiculous draws can be +EV depending on the pot size and bet size. If a pot has been raised and called by 3 players (4 Big Bets) then the flop has been bet call call and you are last, there are 5.5 Big Bets in the pot and it's .5 Big Bet (or one small bet) for you to call, giving you 11:1 odds. With a gutshot, this is an easy call

- Learn the check/call (generally on the river) and use it often, dont lose bets by betting and then calling raises

- Fold less on the river and more on the turn -- by the time the river comes you often have to have the best hand 1 in 10 times to come out ahead. On the turn is where your main decision lies

- Implied odds go down since there is a cap on how many bets you can win. Low pocket pairs don't have nearly as much value in LHE than NLHE,

- Continue to value position in limit holdem

[Talking Poker]

Guess there's not need for anyone else to respond. I'd say that pretty much covers it.

I learned limit first and then learned NL, which I think is a much easier way to do it. But limit poker is SO mechanical. Do some research (buy a book, if you want), and all of your answers will be there for you.

My favorite limit HE book was Lee Jones' Winning Low Limit Hold'Em. GREAT book, especially for the beginner.

[Reel Deal]

My best advice: have Kurn play for you.

[Talking Poker]

bdawg used to be good at limit (remember that 40k score from the WCOOP?), before he decided to lose at all forms of poker.

[eejit101]

you think he will learn??

I officially suck at limit tourneys, i get bored and just autocap pots with 69suited.

My advice - dont do that.

[omahilo]

Limit tournaments are alot easier if you have patience through the first 5-7 levels and wait out all the idiots... Eventually they will start dropping like flies. Just stay patience and try to not get bored... You are almost better off pulling a Hellmuth and showing up 30-45 minutes late if you feel you will get bored and want to donk off your stack.

[Mr Eaton]

How did you do?

I played in one on Fathers Day and finished 36, I was 8th when it got down to 90 players. I had to go see my Dad so I let my wife take over and after three hands she quit.

mreaton WSOP lifetime earnings: 10 bucks(in a way)

[Invigilator]

My event is tonight at 8pm.

[Invigilator]

Thanks to those who posted replies (especially zybomb). I will try to put it to good use. I would love for this to be the start of my FT account.

[Kurn]

- Learn the check/call (generally on the river) and use it often, dont lose bets by betting and then calling raises

This is fine as far as it goes, but NL players tend to check the river OOP way too much in limit games. In a tourney, you need to be a little more careful, but you need to value bet the river much more in limit than in NL. Worse hands call on the river far more often in limit than in NL.

Also, and this may be too little too late, in a limit tournament (as opposed to a limit ring game) you almost never enter a pot preflop for one bet. If you're going to play, raise. Limit is fundamentally a much more aggressive game.

A good way to look at what works in limit is to listen to what limit players say about making the transition to NL. One excellent limit player said his problem with NL is that he loses a lot of money with 1-pair hands. That alone tells you a lot about how to be successful at limit.

[bdawg31]

These are really good points. If you are out of position and betting TPTK on the turn and only get called by one person that has position on you, unless a scary card hits the river (i.e. completing an obvious flush or straight) then i think you probably should fire again. Normally, if a player is strong they are going to raise you on the turn (this is limit and they need to get max value for their big hands too).

Also, in regards to Kurns point about raising - you can really take control of a hand raising -either preflop or on the flop (ESPECIALLY in the early stages). This is poker 101 - but if you have a draw heavy hand in late position and a lot of limpers, i like to raise here. You are building a pot for your draw, plus most of the time you will get a free card after the flop if you need it. Same on the flop - if you raise on the flop you can usually get yourself a free card if you need it. But, you have to be careful not to chase away yoru action. Say there are 6 people in the pot and you are the button. All check to the person to your right. If you raise here, you might get all the others to fold. Then you are heads-up with a draw. I would call here. But if SB comes out for a bet and all call, then i almost always raise my draw.

I know in NL sometimes you have to be careful betting your draws since there is the chance you could get check-raised all-in and be forced to lie down your draw. Again - poker 101 - in Limit, you dont really have that worry so you can bet your draws hard.

Okay - now forum - RIP ME APART!

[bdawg31]

LOL - i doubt it. Evidently all the sudden i am the biggest idiot on the internet playing poker.

[Invigilator]

I was actually suprised at the number of people who laid down their hands when I bet the river (I also used check/call). Many people chased draws in the river. I only did that twice, but the second time really hurt me.

I did the raising thing. Even one raise thined the field a little bit. It also was a good reminder (when faced with a raise) not to play those marginal hands. (not that I alsways listened).

[Invigilator]

Thanks to all those who posted (even though I read some too late). Zybomb, your advice was particularly useful, and although I just made the money, I would not have made it that far without the guidance.

Thanks again everyone.