Limping

Quick Facts by PokerStrategy

• Limping in poker is when you call the minimum bet of one big blind preflop.
• Limping is a weak, passive move that should generally be avoided.
• In a few exceptional circumstances, it’s fine to limp behind.
• Aim to open-raise your entire range of starting hands rather than limping.

What Is Limping in Poker?

Limping in poker, also known as a poker limp, is the act of flat calling the big blind rather than raising. In other words, you are placing the minimum bet preflop.

For example, if the blinds are $1/$2 and you bet $2 preflop, you have limped.

How Limping Works in Poker

Limping is only possible during the initial betting round, before the flop is dealt.

It is a poker term for calling preflop. If the big blind is 200 chips and you put 200 chips in the middle, this is a limp. You can’t limp in poker if someone else has already raised. In this case, you would be calling the raise.

Whether you call it a limp poker move or simply limping, the mechanic is always the same — matching the big blind without raising.

Types of Limping in Poker

There are basically two types of limping in poker:

• Open-limping: This is when you are the first player to enter the pot, and you do so with a limp.
• Limping behind: Also known as an over-limp, this is when another player has already limped, and then you also limp.

A number of actions are available if someone raises after you limp. You can either limp-fold, limp-call, or limp-raise.

Limping vs Raising: What is The Difference?

As mentioned, a limp in poker involves placing the absolute minimum bet preflop, equal to the big blind. A raise is when you put more than the amount needed to call. For example, if the blinds are $1/$2 and you make it $6, you have made a raise.

The key distinction is initiative. A raise puts pressure on your opponents, while a limp hands it to them. A raise also gives you two ways to win the pot: either by taking it down preflop or by having the best hand at showdown. A limp gives you only one.

Simply put, a raise is an aggressive, proactive move, while a limp is a passive, reactive one.

Why Limping in Poker Is Generally Discouraged

Limping in poker is a passive move and is generally discouraged.

Pros will often open-raise their entire range rather than open-limping. The reason is that limping offers several disadvantages and little to no potential advantages. Here’s why limping is bad in poker:

• Limping allows other players to see a cheap flop, encouraging multiway pots.
• Limping will often give away position.
• You can never steal blinds by limping, and you won’t have the betting initiative postflop.
• Aggressive players can raise your limp to get you to fold or call with a weak hand, a tactic known as iso-raising.
• You won’t be able to build pots with strong hands or set up bluffs with weak hands.

Raising preflop, on the other hand, accomplishes all of the goals that limping cannot. It thins out the number of players, gives you position more often, allows you to steal blinds, builds pots when you are ahead, and sets up bluffs for future streets.

Limping as a Trap?

Beginners often think that they can lay a trap by limping in poker.

In reality, any deception you gain is nearly always outweighed by the negatives of limping described above. Even if you have pocket aces, letting more people into the pot for cheap is a dangerous approach. You can gain the same level of deception anyway by raising your entire range.

When Limping in Poker Can Be Acceptable

You can’t go far wrong by completely avoiding open-limping and just open-raising preflop with every hand that you want to play. There are, however, some situations in which limping in poker can be acceptable:

• Completing the small blind: With half the big blind already committed, the small blind will often complete the bet to see a cheap flop, particularly when several players have already limped in.
• Limping speculative hands: If one or more players have already limped, hands like small pairs and suited connectors can take advantage by seeing a cheap flop.
• Limping in position: If several players have limped and you have position, it can be worth seeing a flop with playable hands.

Even limping behind is not very strong and should be reserved for moments when it makes the most sense in terms of pot odds and position. Raising over limpers is the more powerful move, as it allows you to scoop pots or play in position against weak players.

It’s also worth noting that limping tendencies vary by player pool. On most online poker apps, you’ll encounter more aggressive players who will exploit open-limps frequently, making it even more important to stick to a raising strategy.

Example of Limping in Poker

Here are two examples of limping in poker, one that shows a useful limp behind and another that shows a failed attempt to lay a trap.

Limping Behind With a Speculative Hand

You are on the button with 5♥ 5♣. The lojack player limps, and so does the cutoff. You could raise it here, but you suspect the other players will call, and you don’t want to inflate the pot. This is the ideal situation to limp behind and see if you can flop a set. If you don’t, you can fold and lose only one big blind. If you do flop a set, you can play for stacks.

Open-Limping With Aces

You decide to open-limp with A♦ A♠ from early position and pick up two late position callers, as well as the big blind, who checks. The flop comes Q♥ Q♣ J♥. You bet, and the next player raises, and one other player calls. You are now in a bad situation, facing two players who could have a queen or a very strong draw. Folding here is weak, so you call, but are forced to fold on the turn to another bet.

Common Mistakes Beginners Make When Limping

Here are the most common mistakes players make when limping in poker:

• Limping weak or medium hands: This is easily exploitable by aggressive opponents. You’ll be forced to either fold to a raise or play in a difficult situation postflop.
• Limping to trap: Limping with strong hands invites multiple players into the pot cheaply, reducing your equity in the hand.
• Never limping behind: Open-limping is rarely clever, but there are some spots where limping behind is profitable, particularly with speculative hands in position when multiple players have limped.

The common thread across all of these mistakes is passivity — and passive players are easy to beat.

Frequently Asked Questions