Why limit?

CasaJJ · #1 04-27-2007, 09:49 AM

I hope nobody is offended by this question because I'm sincerely interested in the responses.

I have always been a NLHE player. Over the last while I got into stud 8 and Omaha which led to me playing some HORSE games. Realizing that my limit hold em game was weak, I decided to focus on the game for a while to improve. I like learning new games and find it interesting to mix up the games that I play to keep me interested and focused. I also like the idea that if I can't find a soft NLHE game I can confidently play at a softer "other" game.

My question is, why do you play limit hold em? Do you just love the nuances of the game or are there other reasons?

I'm asking this because in reviewing the other posts on the forum it seems that most of the regular posters are primarily limit players. Most of those players seem to agree that an average 2bb/100 is a decent win rate. I can tell from postings that these players are very good and I would expect would do very well at NLHE where a much higher win rate can be achieved.

So, why do you play limit? What is it about the game that makes you want to focus on it as opposed to other games that can provide a higher win rate? Or am I completely mistaken and most of you play a mix of games for the same reasons I noted above for myself?

Oct0puz · #2 04-27-2007, 10:00 AM

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Most of those players seem to agree that an average 2bb/100 is a decent win rate. I can tell from postings that these players are very good and I would expect would do very well at NLHE where a much higher win rate can be achieved.

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You can't compare Limit and NL win rates like that. Lets say that you play $3/$6 limit Hold em. In NL this doesn't equal playing with $1.5/$3 blinds, but more like $0.5/$1 blinds. So making 4 big blinds/100 in Limit is much better than having the equal win rate in NL.

James. · #3 04-27-2007, 10:01 AM

2bb/100 is an average attainable winrate with solid play. it doesn't mean it's the best winrate possible.

brettbrettr · #4 04-27-2007, 10:21 AM

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2bb/100 is an average attainable winrate with solid play. it doesn't mean it's the best winrate possible.

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1. happy brithday
2. 2bb/100 is excellent, not average. in a horse game its prob average. 3 years ago its prob average. but in todya's game, from what I hear cuz I don't play online often/at all, 2bb/100 would be crushing the game, no?

Bob T. · #5 04-27-2007, 10:21 AM

Here's kind of a random response, but I'm up before I usually am, and my brain might not be working all that well.

I'm a dinosaur. When I started playing online, there weren't NL games, so I played limit.

The first time I played NL, I got stacked three times, in quick succession. Top two vs a straight flush draw, he got there. Set vs flush draw he got there, and either Aces or Kings vs, I don't remember. Kind of scarred me. I didn't play much NL for a long time, and about 2 years ago, I started playing more regularly, and now I play a couple of times a month in live games. I like it, I've had good results, and I think the game is interesting. But for online play, I want to get a lot of hands in, and I can play multiple tables much more comfortably in limit holdem. If I make a mistake due to innatention, it probably costs me some fraction of a bet. Instead of some fraction of a stack.

NL players frequenly call limit holdem the suckout game, because they can't protect their hands, but I also like the ability to wander in to a pot with 57suited for instance, and play the hand, instead of being bet off of it. So I kinda like the suckout factor [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]. Well at least when it happens to other people [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]. It's a game, and I like to be able to play sometimes, and I find that there are more situations in limit that are playable than in NL.

lxlxl · #6 04-27-2007, 10:23 AM

You also must consider risk vs reward. NLHE has more risk...also just because you are a winner at limit does not mean that can be tranlated into winning NL.

Bob T. · #7 04-27-2007, 10:27 AM

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1. happy birthday

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HoneyBadger · #8 04-27-2007, 10:40 AM

I like the complexity of limit, and the structure. You need to be able to see patterns in relation to the board, for your opponents actions and your future responses to them on all rounds. Every street and every bet matters, it is often a case of trying to extract one more bet when you're winning and often more importantly losing one bet less when behind. Sure, NL has some of these aspects as well, but you can always make up for previous streets by betting what you'd like. Flopping quads in NL you can simply check all the way and go all-in on the river, then if he calls your previous "mistakes" are erased. You can not do this in limit. If you fail to bet the flop and he would've called, then you just lost a bet. And with winrates between 1-2 BB (big bets, not big blinds)/100 that one bet matters. A lot. NL players always seem to think you can't bluff for example, but you can. If you call all these bets you won't win for sure. So to some of them you must fold. When? Your only edge is that with the same hands you manage to win a bet more or lose one less in comparison to your opponents. Finally, the times I did play NL cash games I found them to be quite boring.

About the winrates, maybe because I'm running bad, or possibly because I'm not such a great player, or finally because of my timezone (no fish?), but 2 BB/100 is a lot to win at say 3/6 and up (even 2/4 these days is killing). I'd sooner think an average good player makes 1 BB/100 these days. And that's good! Two would be crushing the game.

FatedEquity · #9 04-27-2007, 10:42 AM

In limit, you have a lower winrate than NL but with much smaller bankroll requirements. This means that a limit player can play higher stakes than an NL player given the same sized bankroll. Consequently, the earning gap between the two players is not as wide as it seems.

HoneyBadger · #10 04-27-2007, 10:45 AM

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In limit, you have a lower winrate than NL but with much smaller bankroll requirements. This means that a limit player can play higher stakes than an NL player given the same sized bankroll, which can consequently result in the two players making a comparatively similar earn per hour.

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Yeah, also true. With say $1k you can try some $3/6 limit, altough it's thin, but possible. No way you can play $3/6 NL with only $1k.