What Is NLHE Poker?

Gaming Abbreviation for No Limit Texas Hold'em Poker

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NLHE is an abbreviation for No Limit Texas Hold’em. This abbreviation leaves out the T for Texas, which can make it less obvious in what it represents. It is used as an abbreviation for this popular poker game both online and in card rooms. Other abbreviations and synonyms are NLH, No limit Texas Hold’em, No-limit Holdem.

What Does No Limit Mean?

Limit refers to how much a player can bet on any single bet. No limit means that at any point in the game a player can bet as much as all of the chips they have on the table, which is known as going all-in. The other players must match the amount to call the bet, or can go all-in themselves for less. If the player loses the hand, they are out of the game unless there is a rebuy allowed.

Besides going all-in, a player can bet more than the minimum required bet or raise more than the minimum required the amount of a raise, anywhere up to the amount of chips they have on the table. In most games, a raise must be by at least as much as the blind for a first raise. For a re-raise, it must be at least as much as the previous raise.

This is in contrast with limit games where the amount allowed for each bet is set and the players cannot bet more than that amount. For example, for the first and second bet of a hand, the amount might be set at $2, with the amount for the third and fourth bet set at $4. In pot limit games, the maximum raise is the current size of the pot.

No Limit Texas Hold'em is the usual format for poker tournaments such as the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Many people have become familiar with watching it played in televised tournaments. It is a common format for playing poker online. Non-tournament limit games are common in casinos and card rooms. They may be listed with the word limit and amount of the limit (such as $2/$4).

Texas Hold'em Poker

The game of Texas Hold'em originated in Texas, with its birthplace officially designated as Robstown, Texas. It was introduced to Las Vegas at the Golden Nugget casino in 1967.It became popular with professional players because the four rounds of betting on each hand allowed for strategic play. When Benny and Jack Binion created the World Series of Poker in the early 1970's, they featured no-limit Texas Hold'em as the main event of the tournament.

The basic rules for Texas Hold'em are that two to 10 players are dealt two hole cards. They place bets in sequence around the table or choose to fold their hands. Three cards are dealt, the flop, which the players can use to complete the best hand. There is another round of betting and folding and then a fourth card is revealed on the board. Then another round of betting (or folding) and the fifth board card is revealed. Any remaining players can again bet or fold and go to a showdown to win the pot.