Limit Hold'em is a beautiful game to play. Maybe it's not as dramatic as No Limit -- with those exciting all-in bets -- but the betting in Limit has a flow to it that's like a language of its own.

This dialog is often non-verbal but it speaks volumes.

Let me illustrate this point in a typical hand.

Playing a $10-$20 limit, Charlie raises the pot to $20 from middle position. That bet says, I have the best hand boys, and I'm going to attack those blinds. Then Joe reraises the bet to $30 from the dealer position: Sorry Charlie, I think I'm the one with the best hand.

All of the other players fold, and the flop comes Ks-8d-4c. Charlie is first to act and checks. He's saying: Okay, tough guy, since you reraised me before the flop, go ahead and bet.

Joe isn't ready to slow down just yet. He bets: Charlie, I'm not scared of that king. Who knows, I might even have one myself.

Having made the obligatory check to the raiser, Charlie now fires back a raise at Joe. Not so fast, Joe, I liked that flop and I'm ready to dance. You game? Let's make it $20.

Joe stares at Charlie and reaches for more chips. What, did you think I was kidding, Charlie? When I said I had the best hand, I meant it. Reraise!

The action gets back to Charlie, who decides to just call. All right Joe, I'll stop raising, for now. But I'm not letting you have this pot just yet. Let's see another card.

This part of the unspoken poker conversation should usually go the same way for Charlie. Since he didn't reraise on the flop, he should check the turn. Otherwise, the conversation just doesn't flow; if Charlie were to bet, it just wouldn't make much sense.

But he does anyway. I know you reraised me on the flop but I'm still going to bet.

Joe glances back at Charlie with a puzzled look on his face. Now you're betting? You didn't reraise me to $40 on the flop, and all of a sudden I'm supposed to believe that a deuce helped? If it did help you, why wouldn't you check-raise me? You know I'm going to bet for sure.

Here's the way the hand is supposed to play out. Either Charlie should make it $40 and bet the turn, or he should just call the $30 and check. Any other play doesn't go with the flow of the conversation.

This is what Charlie should have said: Okay, Joe, you go ahead and bet and poker'll see what I decide to do. I might be trapping you, or I might be a little scared. You'll never know which it is.