Free Online Poker Strategy Guide To Slow Play Trap Beating Play
By: Nick Pokered
Submitted: 2010-08-31 09:23:21 | Word Count: 698
In this free online poker tips lesson we are going to examine a situation you may find yourself in during a heads up game where you and your opponent both think you're got the best hand and so try to slow play each other. A trap versus trap situation.
To illustrate this situation we will learn by example. For this we'll use a WSOP final table hand, major stuff!
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The Scenario:
BLINDS 100k/200k, ante 30k
PREFLOP:
A has Ks-10s, raises to 400k
B has As-Ad, calls 200k
A's raise is standard for K-10, which isn't as weak in short-handed play as with a complete table.
B could have reraised A, but A might fold. B might be worried providing the Flop came up paired like J-J-7, but B thinks that a continuation test bet will detect if A has a hand following the Flop.
Reraising preflop which test bet has the same effect of making A fold if A has not got anything, but calling not only conceals A's hand strength, but also makes it dangerous for B to bet if a King or a Ten comes.
FLOP: Kc-5c-3h
B checks
A bets 525k
B raises to 1.45m
A calls 875k (Pot now 3.76m)
Now A suddenly had top pair which he might think is a better hand!
B checks, again to disguise hand strength.
A bets to build the pot, then B raises.
A may interpret B's raise to be a bluff because he might think B is drawing (note the 2 Clubs) or that B might have a smaller pair, say, A-5 or A-3.
A just calls because he is now the one attempting to trap.
TURN: Kc-5c-3h-6s
B bets 1.5m
The 3-Flush didn't come. B's bet is now challenging A.
If A folds, B still wins a large pot. If A calls or reraises, B can push him all-in if action gets back to B.
A's trap looks like it's working up to now. Now B may have decided that A remains on the Flush draw with maybe a small Pair, say Ac-3c.
Moreover, because preflop A obscured his hand strength well (just smooth-calling), B can believe that A also has a King, but with a weaker kicker.
Now he believes that A is preparing to call anything he hauls in the centre, and he also thinks his trap is working. So what does he do?
A moves All In
B calls 3.6m (Pot now about 14 million)
Both think their traps are working! In poker, the higher the hands, the bigger the chips in front.
Both did well in preserving the balance building the pot and concealing hand strength, but only one hand can win.
A can only win with a river King or Ten.
RIVER: Kc-5c-3h-6s-10c (!)
A wins! But had A continued trapping until the river with this river card, it's still the same. Both still have big hands, both are willing to trap, and both are prepared to ravenously guard each other's chips once the chance arises.
Summing up Trap v Trap
Invest time to read and fully understand the principles behind this article. Look to fully understand the key points behind what is going on in this example and think of ways to put these lessons into your own play.
Poker, while not so difficult to learn if very difficult to make a living from, or, indeed, not lose money at most of the time!
But if (and when) you learn how to play online poker well then you'll make some great money. Why?
Simply that the vast majority of players you come up against never get to what can be termed a good level.
So if you can learn to play above average then it is not hard to make some good money. You certainly don't need to play WSOP levels.
The fact that most players are at such a low quality will mean that whenever you hunt/play them on free online poker or low stakes sites then you can clean up.
Author Resource:-
Nick from top free poker sitehttp://www.NoPayPoker.com advises that to learn how to play poker really well go look at NoPayPOKER blog, the free poker lessons there cover all levels from newbie to experienced, plus, the website itself as a free online poker site is the perfect place to practice what you learn.
