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How to play Spread Limit Holdem
Poker has become one of the most popular card games in the world. It has many variations, including seven-card stud, Omaha, five-card draw, Razz and Pineapple, among others. It is a game played by professionals and amateurs alike. It is popular in casinos, in homes and online.
The most popular version of the game – by far – Texas Hold ‘Em.
Hole ‘Em is an easy to play game where a player is dealt two card face down, which only the player is allowed to look at. These are the player’s hole cards. A round of betting follows. Then three community cards, called the flop, are dealt. These cards are shared by all players. Another round of betting follows. Another community card, called the turn is dealt. Again, this card is shared and another round of betting ensues. Finally, one last card called the “river” is dealt and shared by all players. A final round of betting is held and the best five-card hand you can make from the seven cards wins.
However, there are several different types of Hold ‘Em that are reliant on different betting strategies. The most common is No Limit Hold ‘Em, which places no maximum on the amount you can bet.
But an excellent alternative is called Spread Limit Hold ‘Em, which is a game that sets a limit on the amount you can bet during the course of the game.
In any Hold ‘Em game, there are “blinds” which are forced wagers. In Spread Limit, the wagers are made in increments of the “spread” between the two totals, hence the name.
For instance, if the spread is $2-$6, the wager for each street would be $4.
The amounts bet do not increase with each round of betting as they do with some other forms of Hold ‘Em.
The big blind is usually the numerical value of the small end of the spread. For instance, in a $2-$6 game, the big blind is usually $2 and the small blind $1.
The initial raise can be no more than $4.
The amount of the raise does not go up on each street.
This game is not as popular as no limit, but it is a good game for players wishing to limit how much they spend and not lose every chip in one hand. Certainly you can lose big money, but nothing like dropping your entire stack on one hand as in no limit.
In addition, this form allows players to stay deeper on draws and play hands to the river more often, thus getting to see more cards.
Some spread limit games can be useful to players who want to improve their overall games without the wild swings of no limit.
As with most forms of Hold ‘Em, Spread limit hold ‘em does not force you to wager every hand. Only the blinds have money in the initial pot. This allows players to be patient and play only premium hands or hands that are worth seeing a flop with. Spread limit’s small initial investments make it easier for a player to fold hands after the first round of betting because the investment is smaller.
Sometimes, in no limit, players commit such a large percentage of their stack pre-flop they get stuck even if it is an unfavorable flop.
Give spread limit hold’em a try. If you don’t understand the wagering increments, ask the dealer.
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