Poker is a strategy-based game that gets better with practice. Professional poker players are well-versed in the use of every tactic in the poker game. Nevertheless, all players are not experts; some have just begun playing and are not familiar with the majority of situations. Their acts reveal that they are “newbies.” In poker, limping is also a part of one of these starting acts. When playing low stakes games, whether live or virtual, cash or tournaments, you will usually find yourself at a table full of limpers. Here, we will discuss what poker limp means and how you can crush open limpers like a pro.
In fact, when it comes to low-stakes cash games, there is another aspect that different types of poker players face. Just as with limping poker, the option, also known as ‘straddle’, influences the action in certain hands. If you don’t know what straddle is and how to use it, you must check out this link.
What is limping in poker?
Limping refers to a poker card game move when a player chooses to enter the pot by calling the amount of big blind rather than raising or folding. This action is known as limp, and the player is “a limper”. This type of limp is usually regarded as weak and passive play. When a player decides to limp hand before any other opponent is known as an open limp. This is usually used by novice players in order to see how their opponents will act before they choose to invest more before the flop. Playing against limpers can be an annoying aspect of the game, but not when you consider them potential stack builders.
In poker games, you will find yourself at a table where not one opponent but several opponents prefer to limp in a preflop round rather than raise. However, there are situations where you will think that limping before the flop makes sense. But it’s generally not a suggested play. You will almost never see limping in high-stakes games with pro players.
When only one opponent is limping, the situation is typically not that tough to manage. However, when there are multiple players limping occasionally, a different situation exists. So, what should be the best poker strategy for dealing with this kind of lineup? Let’s imagine a situation where you are in a tourney playing from the late or middle poker position, and your opponents have limped in ahead of you. Below are three pro poker tips on how to crush limpers like a pro.
Raise with monster hands, isolate your opponents:
Premium hands like A-A, K-K, Q-Q, or A-K, you will surely raise with these hands if your opponents have limped. Moreover, hands like J-J or 10-10, you will definitely play this hand by raising it even after a lot of limps by your opponents. Usually, it is suggested to add one BB per limper to your regular open. But when playing the lower-stakes games (particularly virtually), I will usually add a bit more. For instance, blinds are 50/100, and two of my opponents have limped. If I were opening, I would have raised it to about 225. But if there are two limpers already, I may make it 500 or so.
My objective will be to minimize the number of opponents. Also, if possible, isolate a single adversary against whom my monster starting hands works well. This can be difficult to do with “sticky” calling stations who after, limping in, are likely to call regardless of what the size of bets is. If there are many callers with your A-A, it’s not the end of the world. All you have to do is play post-flop cautiously and be aware of the greater chances to improve among the multiple hands you are dealing with.
Play tighter:
From a theoretical standpoint, playing tighter against limpers makes sense. When your opponent open limps, this means they are showing something about their hand. So, you must think about your hand, the opponents after you, and the small and big blind. So, if your opponents have a big tendency to re-raise, it is usually the best approach to play tight against a limper. You should use this card game strategy when your opponents often 3-bet, you are playing with a short stack, and in some cases, when the limper is a solid player with a strong approach. You can collect more value from the table without risking too much equity because they will constantly try to raise.
Playing loosely:
It is generally the best option to opt to play loosely against limpers. The reason is that when an opponent chooses to open limp before the flop, you may think that they are passive, weak and can be targeted with aggression strategy in poker. An opponent who open-limps is often more likely to make mistakes, as they already made one by limping preflop. The errors they make post-flop will let you over-realize your equity once you isolate your opponents. You will hardly find yourself in a complex situation post-flop by limpers, allowing you to win a pot you weren’t intended to win.
There are a number of other factors that favour loose play when it comes to limpers:
1. It is rare that an open limper will limp and 3-bet.
2. The opponents behind are tight players; they are unlikely to 3-bet.
3. When you are playing the game with deep effective stacks, allowing you to maximize equity against a weak opponent.
In terms of sizing, choose the ideal size in order to place the weaker hands in their range in the most difficult position feasible. Don’t let weak opponents fritter away your chances who limp at your table. Keep on isolating them, and place them in challenging situations till they give you a valid reason to stop.
To sum up
Understanding how to deal with limpers is a crucial skill to build. Moreover, developing a good preflop knowledge of the various strategies is essential to improving at Texas Hold’em poker games. As poker is a dynamic game, it is important to adjust your approach, as your ultimate decision is based on a variety of aspects. We hope the poker game tips mentioned above provide you with a strong strategy base for dealing with limpers and aids you in adjusting your range in order to defeat such types of opponents. If you are new to the game and are not familiar with the basics, you can learn and practice poker game tricks and strategies on Gamentio. This portal allows you to play for free until you are confident about your gameplay. You can download the app for free and start playing on the go!