Limping in an on-line Sit 'n' Go Hold'em poker tournament is typically a risky, wasteful use of chips. Especially in a single table tournament. This is because the rapidly increasing blinds compared to the relatively small starting stack size does not allow a sufficient buffer for failed gambles.
Thus, those players who frequently limp will often find themselves in stack trouble. They unhappily discover that they have piddled away too many of their limited chips on losing limps. Leaving themselves at a great disadvantage when facing the increasingly larger blinds, the faster rounds, and the short table aggression.
However, despite the risk and when performed correctly, limping can be a powerful winning strategy. So, here are a few general limping guidelines. There are many tactical exceptions, but these will apply in most situations:
- Do not limp if the cost is more than around 5% of your stack, preferably less.
- Do not limp from early position.
- Only limp from middle or late position when there is a reasonable expectation that you will be last to act after the flop. (The larger the big blind the less likely there will be limpers behind you. But, the larger the big blind the more likely there will be a steal attempt behind you.)
- Do not limp with trash, unless you are the button.
- Only limp with pocket pairs, suited connectors, and suited Ace connectors and gappers.
- Do not limp with any suited gappers, or unsuited connectors.
- Do not limp with premium pairs. (Raise.)
- Do not limp if there is an expectation that you will be raised off your hand. (For example, when the players to your left are loose/aggressive, short stacked, or prone to all-in pot steals.)
- Be inclined to limp more while the big blind is less than 100 chips.
- Be inclined to limp less when the big blind reaches and exceeds 100 chips.
- Do not limp with a short stack.
- Be inclined to limp more when with a chip lead against smaller and vulnerable stacks.
- Be inclined to limp more against weak, loose, and tight players.
- Be inclined to limp less against strong and tricky players.
Goals of limping:
- To see a cheap flop with a weak hand that has the potential to become strong.
- To cheaply enter a pot when you have an expectation of outplaying your weaker opponents, regardless of your hand strength.
- To cheaply enter a pot when the pot odds are high enough to warrant the risk.
- If you do not hit the flop, to be in late position to attempt a pot steal.
- If you are raised off of your hand or fold your hand for whatever reason, to have lost only a very small percentage of your stack.
Risks of limping:
- The big blind gets to see a flop with two random cards. Thus, could hit hard the most unlikely of flops.
- Having to play a pot against multiple opponents.
- Risking chips, since you will not hit the flop most of the time.
- Having to play post-flop, where hidden hands like two-pair and sets can catch you off guard.
- Having to play post-flop, where mistakes like chasing or mis-reading the board can cost you a large percentage of your stack.
- If limping early in the tournament,
- having to play against an opponent(s) for whom you may not yet have a good read, and
- having to make difficult decisions before your poker mind is fully engaged.
Bottom Line:
Limping is an important weapon to carry in your poker arsenal. Think of limping as a doorway. On the other side might be riches or nothing. Thus, you do not want to pay much to enter. But, very often there will be a nice, and sometimes large, reward. Because, in the ideal limping situation, you get to determine the outcome.
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Copyright 2009 R. Steve McCollum
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