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.