There are many terms and slang expressions in the world of poker. They help poker players communicate more efficiently and refer to advanced concepts in just one or two words. Some poker terms have just one obvious meaning, but the one we discuss today is different.
What is a cap in poker? A baseball hat? A limit of some kind? A maximum amount of players?
Well, you’d be right about all of these guesses. Cap in poker means multiple things, which we’re going to quickly and completely explain in this article.
The Multiple Meanings of Cap in Poker
The question, “What is a cap in poker?” has multiple answers. In almost all cases, a cap is a limit or a maximum of some kind.
- Hats: Although you won’t hear this one often, a cap in poker will sometimes be a literal cap. You might see GGPoker or PokerStars merch in live games, especially at events like the WSOP and WPT.
- Rake Structure: This meaning of cap is the maximum rake a poker room can take in a hand. This only applies to cash games, as tournaments have a fixed rake.
- Cash Game Caps: In cash games, the cap is the maximum number of chips or big blinds you can bring to the table or bet in a hand.
- Tournament Caps: In tournaments, the meaning of cap can be a maximum number of entrants (e.g., 360 Cap).
Cap in Rake Structures
Each poker room has its own rake that sites charge for playing online. The rake amount is publicly available on the official poker* room websites and in detailed reviews on our site. Usually, the cash game rake is up to 5%. In the table below, "Maximum" refers to the cap.
Why is a rake cap important? In high-stakes games, the pots can become enormous. Imagine two high rollers going all-in with 400 big blinds each at NL20,000 ($100/$200). That's $80,000 — without a rake cap, a poker room would take a $4,000 commission for that hand. That’s great profit for the business, but players would never agree to those terms.
This is why the cap is set — it's the maximum rake a poker room can take from a hand. At PokerKing, for example, the cap is $1.25 for heads-up hands at NL1000+, $1.75 for three-way pots, etc.
Cash Game Cap on Bets, Pots, or Buy-Ins
In some cash game formats, the cap refers to the maximum bet size, pot size, or number of chips allowed at the table.
- No-limit games. The cap often limits the number of chips you can bet in a hand, so you can't go all-in. The limit is usually 20-40 big blinds.
- Limit games. The cap typically refers to the number of bets and raises allowed in a single betting round, usually four bets.
Tournament Cap on Entries
Live and online poker tournaments often have a cap on the number of players that can enter.
Below, you’ll see the PokerStars lobby and a selection of several MTTs. By filtering the lobby for “cap” events, you can find tournaments like these which only allow a certain number of players to join. If you prefer a smaller feild over thousands and thousands of opponents, these events are perfect for you.
The only downside to a poker tournament with a player cap is the effect it has on prize pools. When the entries are limited, poker rooms can’t offer any wild prize pool guarrantees. Therefore, you’ll be competing for smaller prize pools in cap tournaments, although, you’ll face fewer players as well.
Where to Play Online Poker
Playing online poker is only worthwhile in reliable, established poker rooms. These sites are part of large corporations and have official licenses for gambling. A certified random number generator (RNG) ensures game fairness and robust security protects players' money.
Making a deposit isn't always necessary to start playing. You can get money in several ways:
1. Participate in promotions: Poker rooms hold valuable promotions for new players. Registering through our site can get you even more bonuses! For example, RedStarPoker gives €25 for depositing. The money is available immediately for playing at any table. You'll also receive a 100% first deposit bonus.
2. Play freerolls: These are free tournaments where money or tournament tickets are awarded for finishing in the money. A detailed freeroll schedule with convenient filters is available on our website. Every day, thousands of dollars in prize pools are offered up in these freerolls, so you should check to see which ones line up with your schedule.
3. Find no-deposit poker sites: One of the longest-running no-deposit bonuses in online poker comes from 888poker. Except for registering, there are no requirements for getting the bonus. The best part is that players can get up to $88, which is a serious amount. It won’t come all at once, but this will give you a way to get into real money poker games without depositing anything.
