Avoiding the UnusualĪs a last bit of advice, let's take a look at common raise sizes for these games. Splashing around in too many pots with more marginal holdings is not something a beginning player should do. Playing more premium hands and playing them strongly is a great way to start off on the right foot and have success. It is often best for lower-limit cash games to play a tight-aggressive game. In a $1/$2 cash game, the blinds always remain the same and there are no antes. Many lower-limit cash games play passively while tournaments have heightened aggression due to the increasing blind levels. In $1/$2 games that are very tight, it's often hard to win a big pot without coolering someone else at the table, and in that case you want to be able to win the maximum. In general, most $1/$2 game play in two very distinct ways either very tight or loose-passive. There are a few reasons why you want to do this. Related: Learn the ABCs of Cash Game Strategy: The Importance of Position Buying in for the maximum is the first step in doing this. Even if you are going in a casino playing for the first time, your mind should always be focused on winning and doing everything you can to boost your chances of doing so. It is completely reasonable that you might feel a bit timid with the idea of plopping down $200 or $300, but this will give you the best chance in the game. In that case, a good rule of thumb is to buy in for 100-200 big blinds.

It is generally good advice to buy in for the maximum, unless the game is uncapped and doesn't have a maximum. This time around we're going to get a bit more specific and provide you with some tips on how to beat the smallest buy-in no-limit Texas hold'em game that you will find in most live casinos in Las Vegas and around the world, $1/$2 game.

Texas hold em no limit