Structures In Poker

The structures of betting and limits in casino poker.

There are four kinds of betting structures in poker,
structured or fixed limit,
spread limit,
pot limit and
no limit.

Structured Limit

Structured limit means games in which the amount of the betting or raising does not change. It is fixed. It has to be the exact amount stipulated by the structure. In case where a player is declaring all-in, she is allowed to bet less than the specified amount, or whatever she has left in front of her.

Example:

In a poker game where the limit is specified as $4 (lower limit) and $8 (upper limit), each bet and raise has to be exactly $4 on the early rounds and $8 on the late rounds of betting.

Now there is an exception in Seven-Card Stud when using the "Fourth Street Rule." That is with an open pair on Fourth Street, any player can choose to bet the lower or upper limit.

Note:
Nowadays most of the structured limit Stud poker games use the "Fourth Street Rule."

Spread Limit

Spread limit means games in which you can bet any amount within that stipulated range.

Example:

In a poker game where the limit is specified as $1 to $5, you can bet $1, $2, $3, $4, or $5 at any time on any rounds of betting.

Mixed Limit

Mixed limit, for instance, $1-$4-$8 means a spread limit game with betting limits of $1 to $4 during any round of betting, except on the last round of betting, then the limits go up to $1 to $8.

Mixed limit is really a spread limit game. You find this limit being used in the Texas Hold'em poker game.

Pot Limit

Pot limit means a poker game in which the players can bet or raise any amount up to the actual amount of the whole pot.A player's bet called is considered part of the pot to decide the maximum raise.

No Limit

No Limit means a poker game in which the players can bet up to what they have in front of them during any betting round.

These are the structures in poker.