Limit Hold'em

No Limit Hold'em is, right now, the most popular form of poker. But this didn't used to be the case. The rise of No Limit is a fairly recent phenomenon and before its popularity grew the game of choice for poker players was Limit Hold'em. Both variations play out the same, with two hole cards dealt to each player, a flop, a turn and a river - the only change comes with the way you are allowed to bet.

Here's a quick guide to the changes you'll need to be aware if you feel like trying your luck at something a little different.

Compared to No-limit, this is a more subtle form as poker. As the names suggest, in No-limit you are allowed to bet all your chips/cash whenever you want while in Limit you are limited with two specified betting limits.

Limit poker is mainly played on cash games. You can find out a table's specific betting limits by looking at the table's name. For example, a $2/4 table will have betting increments of $2 and $4. The first figure is used for the first two betting rounds, the second amount is used for the final two rounds. Blinds for this table would be $1 and $2 as the big blind on a limit table is always the same size of the small bet.

On our $2/4 table, if you were the first to bet, you can only bet $2. The next person to act can fold, call or raise to a total of $4. If a third player wanted to re-raise their total bet would be $6. This $2 limit applies to pre-flop and post-flop betting.

On the turn and river the bet limit moves up to the higher bet limit - on this table that would be $4.

In Limit, the number of raises per round is limited as well, often at four. Make sure you find out what the limit is on your table.

In between No-limit and Limit is where you'll find Pot Limit. Like Limit, your betting is curbed. On these tables, though, rather than fixed, pre-specified limits, your maximum bet is capped to however much is in the pot (that is all the money in the pot and all the bets on the table, including any call you need to make before raising) at the time of making your bet.