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How to isolate limpers in cash game poker (iso-raise)

When someone limps in, raise to play against them alone, in position and with the initiative: it's one of the most profitable spots in low-stakes cash games.

A♥J♦
The example hand: Hero in the CO, NL10 with 100 bb

The idea

A player who enters the pot by just calling the big blind (limping) almost always has a mediocre hand, and is usually a weak player. If you raise, you force them to decide with a weak hand, and you often get to play the pot against them alone and with the initiative.

When to use it

  • There are one or two limpers ahead of you and you're in late position (HJ, CO or button).
  • Your hand has good equity against a limping range: pairs, aces with a good kicker, broadways and, in position, suited connectors.
  • The players left behind you (the blinds) don't re-raise much.

How to play it

  • Size: about 4 bb plus 1 bb for each limper (5 bb against one, 6 against two). If you raise like a normal open, the limper calls with everything and you end up in a multiway pot.
  • Range: against a single limper and in position, isolate wider than a normal open from that seat. With several limpers, only with value hands: the equity is split among more players.
  • Flop: the limper misses the flop most of the time. A half-pot continuation bet wins lots of pots outright; if they call, keep betting for value with your made hands.

Common mistakes

  • Limping behind (over-limping) with hands that could isolate: you play against several players, without the initiative and without position.
  • Isolating with a small raise: you don't isolate anyone.
  • Keeping up the bluff on the turn and river against a limper who calls: if they don't fold on the flop, they usually have something.

Check whether you're the one limping with the open-limp stat.

The example hand, step by step

Watch it in the replayer to see it action by action.

Preflop A♥J♦

  1. Key Hero in the CO with AJ A hand well ahead of the range a weak player usually limps with.
  2. UTG calls 1 bb
    Key UTG limps Entering by just calling the big blind signals a mediocre hand: a good player almost never open-limps.
  3. Hero raises to 5 bb
    Good Isolate to 5 bb 4 bb plus 1 for the limper. We want to play against them alone, in position and with the initiative.
  4. UTG calls 4 bb
    Key The limper calls They'll play the rest of the hand out of position and without the initiative: exactly what we wanted.

Flop K♣7♠2♦

  1. Key K-7-2 flop, no draws A dry board: a limping range rarely has a king, and there are no flush or straight draws.
  2. Hero bets 6 bb (52% of the pot)
    Good Half-pot c-bet Against a limper who hasn't hit, the continuation bet wins the pot very often. With AJ we also have two overcards to the seven and the deuce.
  3. UTG folds
    Good Pot won No need to hit anything: the preflop initiative did the job.

Isolating the limper with a big raise and betting the flop won us the pot without needing to hit.

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