Going Heads Up, Playing Small Pairs or Big Pairs, and Suited Connectors
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GOING HEADS UP
Choosing to play “heads up” poker instead of a normal ring game is really to do with how well you feel your normal game has matured. Nothing puts you on the spot more than a “heads up” confrontation. There’s nowhere to hide and if there are gaps in your game this is going to shine a laser beam onto them and cook your wallet.The plus side is you will be playing an awful lot more hands and you learn a huge amount about your game very quickly. The appeal of “heads up”, if you are ready, is you can win a heap of money very quickly against the right opposition. Selecting and being prepared to wait for that opposition is key to success. You need to be ready for what the poker community calls the “whales” to cruise into view. Your decision making process will be severely tested as you’ll be reacting every few seconds. It’s a bit like Kung Fu. If you have the moves you’re going to get the chance to apply them in quick succession. Don’t delude yourself though. The other guy or gal is likely in the same frame of mind as you so you can get bloodied. Personally, what I like most about “heads up” play is that it’s real poker and it points up in mean fashion any skill shortfalls and helps you correct them. I’d say this is the most skill orientated form of poker and a real adrenalin rush.
SMALL PAIRS
Small pairs are usually defined as 2-2 through to 7-7 and they are tricky to play. If you are a new upstart they are worth limping in with pre-flop. Experience shows that if the flop doesn’t deal you three of a kind, dump’em! A good post-flop mantra is “No Set! No Bet!”
BIG PAIRS
Obviously, these are everyone’s favourites. If you land pocket aces, they are well worth pumping up with a big pre-flop bet but the same “small pair” discipline should kick in post-flop if the set doesn’t materialise, unless you sense weakness all round. If the board is a mess and not scarey I’d take the pocket rockets to the turn.
PLAYING CONNECTORS
High connectors are obviously worth playing when you’re looking for that power straight but sometimes you can dip your toe in the water with low connectors like 8-9. Go with them if you can do so on the cheap but if the flop doesn’t deliver another two cards to your run, muck your cards. Obviously a flop with a 5-6 in it or better still a Jack-Queen might tempt you to the turn and the river. Don’t let same-suited connector hole cards tempt you to be anymore aggressive than just plain connected. The running flush syndrome has some fairly unrealistic odds attached to it.
Source: http://www.onlinepokercolumn.com
posted by PokerRules at 4:17 AM
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