Against a Limper — Preflop and Postflop Strategy

Exploits & Theory · updated 2026-03-08

Essence of the Situation

When a player limps before us, we need to choose: isolate, limp/overlimp, or fold. Key factors: - Limper's range (often ≈100%) - Limper's position and ours - Strength of our hand - Players behind

What We Know About Limpers

• Play almost the entire range from any position
• Few strong hands in limp — mostly junk, marginal, and speculative hands
• Main goal — stay heads-up with the recreational player

Isolate Ranges by Position (vs Limp)

• UTG: ~18%
• MP: ~24%
• HJ: ~30–35%
• CO: ~40%
• BTN: ~50–55%

Isolate Sizing

• Base: 3.5 bb + 1 bb for each limper
• Deep stacks (100 bb+): 4.5–6 bb
• Stacks 25–40 bb: 2.6–4.5 bb
• Against a calling station recreational player → size 6–10 bb
• Against restealers behind → tighten range, size more carefully

Limp-Fold vs Isolate

Note: This table shows how isolate raise size (Isolate Size) affects the chance a limper folds (Limp-Fold %). The bigger the raise, the more likely they fold.

Application: - Against weak players prone to limping, use larger sizes (e.g., 4.5x–6x) to take the pot preflop. - If the limper calls often, use smaller sizes and play for value or exploit weak postflop play. - L-F is approximate fold percentage for given isolate size.

Example:
If you isolate to 5x, the limper folds ~24% on average. At 6x — ~33%.

Postflop Strategy vs Limpers

Value Bets

• No need for balance vs limpers
• Use large sizes: 44% – 115%
• Example:
• AKo on A98s — 60%
• AKo on A98r — 44%

Reaction of the pool vs c-bet on flop — see detailed tables in source.

Slowplay

• On dry boards with top two pair or the nuts, check
• Let them bluff, collect value on later streets

Medium Value

• 2 streets of value: 33% flop + 70% turn / or 70% turn + 40% river
• Alternative: 3 bets of 33%

Bluff Strategies

Frequencies:

• Flop: 90%+
• Turn: 60%
• River: 60%

Lines:

• 33% flop → 33% turn → 66% river
• Bet-check-bet: 33% flop, check turn, 66% river

Playing Against Donk Bets

• Donk frequency: ~14%
• Small size → weak, medium-strength hands
• Large size → value

Our Reaction:

• Donk ≤ 50% pot → raise with pairs, overcards, draws
• Turn: 40–50%
• River: 66% (when no showdown value)
• Donk river < 40% — often weak → bluff-raise (2.5–3x)

General Conclusions

• Limper is capped → widen isolate range
• Play maximally value-oriented
• Be cautious with bluffs, choose low-variance lines
• Pressure weak lines: min donks, double checks, lack of aggression

Navigation

• Preflop vs Limper
• Postflop Strategy vs Recreational Player
• Isolate Sizing by Position
• Playing vs Donks After Isolating a Limper