Blades is open this Saturday, but due to the time of the year, numbers are down. I thought it might be the time to introduce some Limit poker and see if they like it, so I can justify a Limit set.
We will play Omaha to kick things off so they get used to the betting style (50c/$1), then into 'Sabre' (you know it as Scrotum) and then some 'Scimitar' (you know as SOHE). Famous styles of 'blades', get it.
I like to have a bit of fun with my crew (they probably think it is a wank), but I have a FB group and use the
Blades Chairman (Basildon) to announce things and provide tips and pointers. Basildon is introducing Limit to the crew with the help of
@abby99 cards
in a segment called,
"If you have a moment ...?".
He then gives a run down on the games and betting structure (see
below).
"If you have a moment ...?" with Basildon (Chairman of Blades).
"What is 'Limit' poker?"
We enjoy playing 'No Limit' Hold'em and 'Pot Limit' Omaha - each with their own skills and considerations. These 'betting structures' suit the game style, but other poker games can have a higher 'variance' and do not play well at those stakes.
"All in!" or
"Pot!" can mean your whole stack can be at risk.
Games like 'Sabre' (five cards) and 'Scimitar' (six cards) are a similar style to the usual 'flop' games we play and play well with a Limit betting structure (see
attached game information cards). These games are new, fun and exciting and Limit ensures that the risks are reduced by capping the amounts for each round of betting.
HOW IT WORKS
We will use Omaha as an example (see
attached) as it can be played Limit (all poker can be, you just don't, especially Hold'em). Like Hold'em, Sabre and Scimitar, there are four (4) rounds of betting: Pre-flop, flop, then turn, and river.
Limit uses the terms 'small bet - SB' and 'big bet - BB' - with bets in increments of the SB for the first two (2) rounds and increments of the BB for the next two (2) rounds. Raises are capped at three (3) per round.
For eg. at stakes of 50c/$1, you can only bet in increments of 50c pre-flop and on the flop, up to a capped bet of $2.00 respectively (1 bet plus 3 raises). On the turn and river the betting increments are $1.00 up to a capped bet of $4.00 respectively.
Pre-flop eg. - Player A bets 50c (calling the Big Blind). Player B can only raise another 50c to $1.00. Player C can re-raise to $1.50 and Player D can cap the betting by raising another 50c to $2.00. Player E cannot raise and can only call the $2.00.
This will allow us to learn and play Sabre and Scimitar without an early night. Some of us have played them before and they are great games to add to the proceedings.
The other really fun thing is that we get heaps of chips to throw around and drive the action. Limit betting structure is a 2 chip/4chip structure, which means you generally start with at least 100 chips (or more) of the same value to make the bets (25c at Blades). A SB is two (2) chips, and a BB is four (4) chips. Just the way it is.
BUY-INS
A general rule for an initial Limit buy-in is 25 BB (big bets), so at 50c/$1.00, that would be $25.00. So, the amounts we play for are identical. A single re-buy of $25.00 is permitted as per usual.
Good luck at the tables.
B
