When there’s a limit, it means that the exact amount you bet has a ceiling on it. Sometimes, the ceiling is set by the house rules—an arbitrary number above which you can’t go. Sometimes, in what’s known as “pot limit,” it’s set by the total amount in play: your bet cannot exceed what’s in the pot. Either way, your range of action is artificially restricted. In no limit, you can bet everything you have, at any point. You can “shove” or “jam”—that is, make an all-in bet, placing every chip you have into the pot.
