Limping in Poker: Why It's a Mistake and How to Punish Limpers

A single hand in poker can be played in dozens of ways. Not all options are equally good. However, it's useful to learn from bad decisions too. The better a player exploits an opponent's mistakes, the more they earn. Let's discuss limping in poker.

What is Limping

Limping is matching the big blind's bet to see the flop. Limp translates from English as “soft” or “limp”. 

A passive style of play in poker doesn’t make money

In most cases, limping indicates a weak starting hand. It also often reveals an amateur opponent. The main problem with limping in poker is that you cannot take the pot on the pre-flop by matching someone else's bet. If a player enters the hand with a raise, sometimes opponents will fold and give up the pot without resistance. Limping won't win the forced bets of the small and big blinds. The player in the BB will always remain in the hand, and the play will progress to the post-flop. Another downside to passive entry into a game is aggression from opponents. Many professionals attack passive actions with a wide range.

Let’s examine this tactic with an example. At a 6-max table, Justin is in the UTG position, and Isaac is on the BTN. On the pre-flop, Justin is dealt suited K8, and Isaac gets off-suited Q10. The player in UTG doesn’t want to fold his hand but opts not to raise either. Therefore, he invests 1 big blind into the pot to see the community cards. Isaac responds to the passive play with a raise to 4 BB. As a result, Justin has a choice between:

• folding and losing 1 BB;

• calling and potentially losing an additional 3 BB.

Due to his aggression, Isaac often wins money on the pre-flop. If Justin proceeds to the post-flop, he will almost always face a continuation bet. In 60% of cases, he will not have either matches or a flush draw. Even a pair of eights lacks position and initiative and is just likely to increase losses. Folding is often more profitable than playing a questionable hand without a plan.

Limping is considered a poor choice in both cash games and tournament poker. It is viewed slightly more favourably for matching the BB in Spin & Go. In a fast-paced three-player tournament, it can diversify your strategy and allow you to play post-flop.

How to Play Against Limpers

In most cases, limping is done with a weak hand to cheaply see the flop. Crafty players sometimes try to catch an aggressive opponent in a trap. Let's look at the strategy for each scenario.

To earn more from passive opponents, use statistical software. It will highlight the opponent's tendencies and suggest the best options for play.

Limp from an amateur. The most effective response to a passive opponent is to raise. In poker, raising against a limper is called an “isolation raise” or “iso-raise”. The aggressor’s goal is to take the forced blind bets and the amateur’s voluntary contribution. If the opponent does not fold and responds with a call, the outcome often depends on a continuation bet. An opponent with a weak hand finds it difficult to withstand consistent aggression on the pre-flop and flop. 

In a confrontation with a passive opponent, statistical software is of great benefit. Prior to a specific action, pay attention to indicators:

• Limp/Fold;

• Limp/Call;

• Limp/Raise;

• Fold to C-Bet Flop.

Such statistics are provided by any poker tracker: Hand2Note, PokerTracker 4, Holdem Manager 3, DriveHUD 2. Many opponents often fold to an isolation raise — against them, it’s profitable to raise with a wide range. Sometimes an opponent reluctantly folds to an iso-raise but passes on most continuation bets.

The opponent’s reaction also depends on the size of the raise. If the player matched the forced bet, and the aggressor raised to 2 BB, the amateur will gladly add another 1 BB. Alongside, players on the blinds will peek into the pot too. The standard formula for an isolation raise looks like this: “3.5 BB + 1 BB for each limper”. Let's break it down with an example from a 6-max table. We're sitting on the CO, and the UTG and MP have both matched the big blind's bet. Against two passive opponents, we raise to 4.5 BB. 

To effectively act against limpers, you need separate iso-raise ranges. Some professionals forget this and make raises with any hands. In pursuit of a couple of easy blinds, they risk losing their stack. Create isolation raise ranges for each position. It’s convenient to group hands in FreeBetRange, Flopzilla, Power-Equilab and other poker calculators. 

Limp from a crafty player. Sometimes in poker, you can see the line “limp/raise”. It is often applied at low stakes in cash and tournaments. Typically, this is how pocket aces or kings are played. A player gets a good starting hand and tries to lure opponents into a trap. In an ideal situation, his raise will be followed by a 4-bet, and the hand will end in an all-in on the pre-flop. However, often instead of an isolation raise, the holder of AA will see a few additional limps and end up in a complex post-flop situation.

Limp/Raise is easy to read, so good players almost never use it

If we suspect an opponent has a strong hand, we narrow down the isolation raise range. For a 3-bet, we enter with strong suited hands hoping to catch a good combination on the post-flop and take the stack. Positional advantage will allow for managing the pot size. After the hand, make a note on the opponent. This will help avoid losses in the future and allow you to catch their mistake.

When to Limp

Passive lines rarely lead to success in poker. Matching the big blind won’t take the pot. Calling an opponent's bet won’t force them out of play. However, sometimes an unconventional move works better than playing a textbook strategy. If there are many amateurs at the table looking to cheaply see community cards, the tactic can bring in extra chips. Consider the example.

A player sits on the BTN with pocket 44, and 3 opponents ahead have already called the BB. There’s little point in isolating with 44: the hand rarely turns into a strong combination on the flop. It’s wiser to enter the pot and cheaply catch a set.

Consider a passive line with a strong hand in a mystery knockout tournament. In such tournaments, you receive a reward for knocking out opponents only after a certain stage. Due to their specific structure, a substantial portion of the prize pool is concentrated in these knockouts, leading to intense competition. If opponents with short stacks are at the table, our limp in early position may provoke them to enter the pot. A good outcome will be playing against a short-stacked opponent in the big blind. If the opponent hits anything on the flop, we often see play for stacks. 

High variance and quick pace influence strategy in Spin & Go

Limping is also employed in Spin & Go tournaments. Sometimes matching the big blind is the only way to play post-flop with a small stack. The move is also used in “SB vs BB” battles. For the small blind, it’s often more profitable to add 0.5 BB with a doubtful hand than to fold it. The strategy requires good skills in post-flop play.

What Identifies an Amateur

Limping is a popular technique among recreational players. Amateurs love to see flops for a small price. However, a weak opponent can be quickly identified by other signs. Here are the main ones:

• High activity in the first 10-15 hands. Professionals act cautiously at the start of a tournament. Amateurs are less demanding of hand strength and regularly fight for the pot with medium and weak combinations.

• Frequent showdowns with any pair. Recreational players rarely show restraint and wait for a good starting hand. More often, they enter to see the flop with weak aces and connectors. Some go all the way with the third pair. A strong poker player won’t risk his tournament on a mediocre hand.

• Regular calls. Some opponents are willing to see community cards with almost any hand. They are not concerned about their chances to hit the flop.

• Repeated entries or re-buys. If a player gives away their stack three times in 20 hands and reenters the tournament, they are unlikely to be a tough opponent. Good poker players cherish their chips in competitions of any format.

SharkScope can also help identify a recreational player. A falling graph and significant losses over the long term are sure signs of an amateur. 

FAQ

What is a limp in poker?

Limping is a way to enter a hand without raising. A player matches the BB's bet to see the community cards.

What is an isolation raise?

An isolation raise or iso-raise is aggression against a passive opponent, aimed at taking the pot immediately or staying one-on-one with the opponent.

How to react to a limp/raise?

Almost always, such a sequence of actions from early position indicates a strong pocket pair. We recommend folding.

Which program to save the isolation raise range?

It's convenient to work with ranges in FreeBetRange, Flopzilla, Power-Equilab.