potlimit

Pot-limit is a betting structure used in certain poker games, most commonly Pot-Limit Omaha and, less frequently, Pot-Limit Hold'em. In pot-limit games, the maximum amount a player can bet or raise on any street is limited to the current size of the pot. This contrasts with no-limit, where players may wager any amount up to their entire stack, and with fixed-limit, where bet sizes are predetermined.

The key rule of pot-limit play is that the maximum wager on a decision is the pot size at that moment. The pot includes all money in the pot from blinds, antes, bets, and calls on that street. For example, if the pot is 100 and an opponent bets 40, you may raise up to 140 total (the pot size after your action). If you then call or reraise, the pot grows accordingly, and the next action follows the same pot-based cap. This structure tends to produce more variable pot sizes and requires careful pot-control and mathematical consideration of implied odds.

Strategic implications include greater emphasis on stack management and line selection, as bet sizes scale with pot growth rather than being fixed. Players must balance aggression with pot control, since large pot-limit bets can rapidly escalate. The structure is notably common in Pot-Limit Omaha, where hand values and drawing dynamics interact with the pot-based betting limits, but it can also appear in other formats or mixed games.

Compared with no-limit or limit games, pot-limit blends elements of both: bets can be substantial, yet are bounded by the current pot, encouraging thoughtful decisions about when to trap, bluff, or value-bet.