No Limit & Pot Limit Poker Games

No limit and pot limit poker games refer to a type of betting structure available in the game of poker. This differs from limit poker and requires specific rules of how the game is played in terms of the bets that can be placed.

No limit games mean that players can place whatever size bets they want; only limited by the stake rules of the table. Pot limit games are similar to no limit game in terms of rules, except that the maximum bet size is limited by the size of the pot.

No Limit Poker

When playing no limit poker games, the number of raises allowed in each betting round is unlimited. Once the initial bet has been placed, all raises and re-raises must be at least equal to the initial bet of the round. There is no maximum betting amount and players are able to bet, raise or re-raise any amount they have at the table. There is no limit placed on the betting rounds.

A betting round according to the minimum allowed bets, raises and re-raises may look as follows:

• Player one bets $10
• Player two raises $10 (total bet $20)
• Player three calls (total bet $20)
• Player four re-raises $10 (total bet $30)
• Player five calls (total bet $30)
• Player six re-raises $20 (total bet $50)

This continues until the end of the betting round. There is no cap on the betting rounds and the rounds end only when each player has completed an action by folding, checking or calling the latest raise or re-raise to the pot.

Pot Limit Poker

Pot limit games have betting rounds that are limited by the size of the pot. Similar to no limit games, the minimum amount for a raise is the amount of the previous bet or raise in the round. In other words, if the first player places a bet of $10, the second player must raise a minimum of $10. Unlike no limit games, there is a maximum raise amount that can be placed and this is set as the size of the pot, plus the total bets placed in the betting round, plus the call amount of the player. In other words, if the pot is $50, the first player bet $10 and the second player called $10, the third player is limited to raise up to $80 (the $50 pot, plus the $20 from past bets in the current betting round, plus the $10 of the player’s own call).

According to the minimum bets, raises and re-raises allowed in the game, a betting round may look as follows:

• Player one bets $10
• Player two raises $10 (total bets $20)
• Player three calls (total bets $20)
• Player four re-raises $10 (total bets $30)
• Player five calls (total bets $30)
• Player six re-raises $20 (total bets $50)

  
This can carry on as follows until the end of the betting round.

When you consider the maximum bets, raises and re-raises allowed, your betting round may look as follows:

• Betting round begins with $30 in the pot
• Player one bets $10 (total in the pot $40)
• Player two calls $10 (total in the pot $50)
• Player three raises pot limit $70 (call $10 + raise $10 + current pot $50) (total in the pot $120)
• Player four calls $70 (total in the pot $190)

This can carry on as follows until the end of the betting round. There is no cap on the betting rounds and the rounds end only when each player has completed an action by folding, checking or calling a raise or re-raise to the pot.