Spread limit is a betting structure that sits in the middle of fixed-limit and no-limit games. It allows players to raise any amount within a certain range, but does not allow multiple raises in a row like fixed-limit. It is still popular in many beginner poker circles, as it provides some of the excitement of no-limit without the risk of losing their whole stack in one hand.

The dealer in a spread-limit game starts the betting with a small blind of $1, and then the next player to act may call $2, raise, or fold. The player to their left may raise any amount up to the highest raised bet. In some games the raising amount must be higher than or equal to the previous player’s raise, while in others it must be at least double the previous raise. This makes the game more fluid than pot limit or no-limit, but it also reduces the number of tells that can be used by opponents to read a player’s strength.

In spread-limit games, the betting limits do not increase in later rounds of a multi-round game, unlike fixed-limit. In addition, most casinos cap the number of raises that are allowed in a single betting round, although this varies by casino and region. For example, a $2-$6 spread-limit game will have a maximum raise amount of $20 per round. If the current raise is more than this amount, the player will be required to straddle.

Sometimes a fixed-limit game is played as a “kill” game, where a kill hand is triggered when the player wins a pot over a predetermined amount or when the player wins a certain number of hands in a row. The player that triggers the kill must post a kill blind, which is typically 1.5 times (a half kill) or doubled (a full kill) the size of the big blind, and all bets and raises in the subsequent betting round will be multiplied by this amount.

In some games, such as the popular no-limit hold’em game called California spread-limit, players can use this technique to get around local rules that forbid no-limit hold’em. However, most casinos have replaced any spread-limit games with no-limit games, as the popularity of no-limit has grown and players want to play this more exciting game. However, if you are lucky enough to find a game at a casino that features this betting structure, it’s well worth checking out. You might be surprised at how similar the game is to no-limit. Just be careful not to make any mistakes with the spreads, or you could end up getting wiped out!