Heads Up

I recently played heads up on one of those PokerTek heads up machines against a well known female professional. We were playing a $100 freeze out of $1/$2 no limit hold 'em. I would have preferred razz, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to play against a great player for only $100. I feel pretty good about my heads up play and I reasoned that she would give me credit for a hand more times than not so I played a bit more aggressively than I normally do to start out the match. I got off to a good start and won a few pots without a showdown. While I did hold a few good hands, I also bluffed at a few pots. I was up about $135 to $65 when I raised on the button and bet on every single street with a 9-4 off suit. A King hit the river and I made a value bet on the river to represent a hand like A-K. I figured that would win me the pot as I had fired the third bullet at the pot. I was getting called down by K-rag with no draw and had the king not hit, I think I would have won the pot.

That was the first showdown of the match, so I knew I had to adjust my play accordingly. I know knew that my opponent knew I was capable of betting with absolutely nothing. I tightened up a bit and after folding a few hands, I was down about $90 to $110. I then picked up A-2 on the button. Normally, this is a spot where I raise. However, I wanted to set up a bit of a trap as I knew my bets would not gain me as much respect as they did earlier in the match. I limped on the button and then got minimum raised. This sent off a few warning signs in my head as she had not minimum raised all match. Her standard opening raise was anywhere from $7 to $10 (mine was only $6). I chose to call the raise as I did not want to play a big pot with a weak ace pre-flop.

The flop came K-Q-2. She checked. I wasn't sure if I was getting set up for a check raise, so I put out a feeler bet to see where I was at with my pair. There was $8 in the pot and I bet $7. She called. The turn was an ace. There is now $22 in the pot. She moves all in for $99 and has me covered. I just turned aces up. I had to think this one through. Here is a list of the hand she could have that beat me: A-K, A-Q, K-K, Q-Q, 2-2, J-10. Of these six hands, the only likely hands she would have held are 2-2 and J-10. Against those hands, I'm drawing thin, but not dead. I would not expect a minimum raise and a check-call on the flop with the monster starting hands. Here is a list of other hands she might move in with that I could beat: K-Q, K-2, Q-2, A-J thru A-2. Her small pre-flop raise led me to believe that she held a hand like K-Q or an ace. If I was right about her hand, I stood to be in good shape.

I made the call. She turned over J-10. I didn't fill up on the river. Game over. I'll give her credit for over betting the pot with the nuts and getting a call out of me. I still think it is very difficult to fold my two pair in that spot. Based on my analysis of her likely hands, I win more times than I lose. That is what making a read is all about. It is not necessarily putting your opponent on a specific hand, but correctly analyzing the range of hands they might have and determining where your hand stands. Although I didn't win the match, I confirmed to myself that I can hold my own against the best.

Running Bad

Sometimes, you just can't win a pot. However, after losing pot after pot to poor players who make bad plays, poker can be frustrating. This May, I had the worst month I had in about 20 months. I wasn't playing bad; the cards were just not cooperating with me. While I am still in process of getting out of this funk, I have found a few methods that can be helpful.

• Don't play. It sounds simple enough, but take some time away from the table to clear your head.
• Avoid fancy play. Go back to a more basic, ABC approach to the game. You might not win as much, but you should be able to right the ship and book a win.
• Play a different game. After taking a brutal beat in a $1/$2 no limit hold 'em game, I hopped into a $1-$5 stud game and ended up a small winner. It wasn't much, but it was a win.

The purpose of having a bankroll is to be able to make it through the times when you run bad. As long as you are playing well and getting your money in with the best of it, you will win in the long run. Short run variances are just a part of the game. The best advice if you keep getting knocked down, is to get back up again and keep playing. As long as you are not letting your emotions take over, you will eventually start running better.