Limit Versus No-Limit - Part II Preflop Play

This is the second in a series of columns comparing limit hold'em to no-limit hold'em. It is aimed at experienced limit players who have decided to make the switch to no-limit. In the first column, we covered some of the general differences between the two games. In this column, we will focus on the specifics of preflop play. This is not meant to be an exhaustive treatment of preflop play. Its purpose is to simply give you a feel for some of the major differences between the two poker forms. My assumption is that we are dealing with big-stack hold'em, in which you and your opponents have at least 50 times the big blind in your stacks.



1. Raising Preflop: In limit, when you raise, you can raise only the size of the big blind. This means that your opponents are frequently getting decent pot odds to call, especially when others have called. Since the blinds are already partially in, they are getting a significant discount and have a strong incentive to call. Because of pot odds, your opponents are not making much of a mistake by calling and taking a flop with you. But in no-limit, you can raise many times the size of the big blind, effectively reducing their pot odds and magnifying the mistakes they make by calling. Most no-limit players do this by raising anywhere from three to six times the big blind, and sometimes more depending upon how many other players have limped in. When the pot is raised, a no-limit player frequently folds hands with which a limit player would call. It would be rare for a limit player to fold to a raise after he had already limped in. It is quite common for a no-limit player to do this.



2. Starting Hands: For a no-limit player, ranking starting hands makes no sense, since it's his opponents' stack sizes that play such a large role in determining whether he will play, not just his two-card holding or his position. In discussing starting hands, I will discuss pocket pairs, suited connectors, and unsuited Broadway cards. Hands like A-K and A-Q deserve special treatment. Again, this is not meant to be an instruction guide on how to play hands preflop. Things like stack size, playing styles of your opponents, and so on need to be considered.



3. Pocket Pairs: As in limit, big pocket pairs (jacks and higher) are good hands that are worth a raise from any position. But the raise needs to be at least four times the big blind, and even higher depending upon how many players have limped in. For example, if you are in middle position with pocket queens and two players have limped in, you should raise at least six times the big blind. You need to protect your hand and force your opponents to define their hands. Middle and small pocket pairs are excellent limping hands in no-limit, regardless of how many other players have limped in ahead of you or what your position is. These pocket pairs, especially the small ones, can capture someone's entire stack when they flop a set and your opponent flops top pair, an overpair, or two pair. Medium and small pocket pairs go up in value in no-limit versus limit because of the implied odds you are getting when you flop a set, and the ease with which you can get away from your hand when you don't.

4. Suited Connectors: In my opinion, these hands go down in value in no-limit compared to limit. In limit, if you flop a flush draw or a straight draw, you are usually going to the river since you are getting pot odds to do so. That's not so in no-limit. Post-flop, you are frequently faced with pot-sized or even all-in bets, and you simply get "priced out" of the hand. Whenever the pot has been raised preflop or there are a lot of players still in the hand post-flop, the likelihood of someone making a pot-sized bet or going all in goes up dramatically. When this happens, you often have to abandon your draw. For these reasons, you should wait until you are in middle or late position before coming in with a hand like 10-9 suited. Furthermore, if the pot is raised a significant amount ahead of you, or even after you have limped in, you should consider folding some of these hands.



5. A-K: This hand is a real moneymaker for limit players, who often three-bet with it. For no-limit players, it can cost them their entire stack. It is common in no-limit games to see a guy flop his top pair/top kicker hand and proceed to lose most, if not all, of his stack when someone makes two pair, a set, or something better. The problem with this hand is that you are frequently making a big pot in an attempt to build top pair/top kicker. But a pair, even top pair, can be easily overtaken once the boardcards arrive. With large stacks, when pots get big, you want to build a big hand, not just a pair. This hand is worth a raise

in an attempt to narrow the field. It is not worth reraising with unless you are planning to go all in. If you are out of position, there is nothing wrong with occasionally limping in with it.



6. A-Q: In limit circles, there has been an interesting debate about cold-calling early-position raises with this hand. In no-limit, I think it is a clear fold. It is too easy for the raiser to have A-A, K-K, Q-Q, or A-K. Domination is a bad thing in limit poker, and in no-limit poker it can cost you most of your stack when you flop top pair and have to keep calling someone's big bets on the flop, turn, and river. If no one has raised, I would raise with this hand some of the time and limp otherwise.



7. Unsuited Broadway Cards: Limit players refer to hands like K-J, K-10, Q-J, Q-10, and J-10 as being "trouble hands," especially in a raised pot. In no-limit, playing these hands in a raised pot is "suicidal." I am happy to limp in from late position behind others, but I won't play them in a raised pot. If the pot is raised after I have limped, assuming the raise is several times the big blind, I am folding. Players make the argument that no-limit is a game of implied odds and that you should play if you have position and there are lots of other players. But this argument fails to appreciate how the hand is likely to develop. If you flop a draw or top pair, in most cases you are going to be facing pot-sized bets or even all-in bets at some point. When this happens, you cannot profitably play, which is why you have to avoid getting involved from the beginning.



8. Stealing Blinds/Defending Blinds: Stealing the blinds from late position and defending your blinds are small but important components of the limit player's earnings. In limit, the money comes from a long accumulation of small, statistical advantages. In no-limit, the money comes from doubling through someone by taking his stack or a big chunk of it. Beating opponents out of small pots is not where it's at for the no-limit player. In limit, when you open-raise from late position, you are risking two bets to win a bet and a half, so you are getting a little less than even money. But in no-limit, a typical raise is usually three to six times the big blind. Now you are risking much more, and the reward is proportionally much less. Open-limping from the button is almost unheard of in limit poker. But in no-limit, it is frequently correct. Similarly, when a limit player defends his blind, he is usually getting good pot odds to do so. But the no-limit player is getting only about even money, and he has the worst position. The no-limit player does not look for a small discount so that he can enter a pot from out of position with a weak hand, thereby putting himself in a position to lose his entire stack, or a big portion of it.

Jim Brier can be reached at [email protected] and would welcome any questions or comments. He has co-authored a book with Bob Ciaffone titled Middle Limit Holdem Poker. It is available at www.CardPlayer.com.