In this free online poker tips lesson, we’re going to examine a situation you might find yourself in during heads-up play where you and your opponent think you have the best hand and therefore try to slowplay each other. Yeah. This could be called Trap vs. Trap.

To illustrate the lesson, we will see the situation with an example. In this case, a hand from the final table of the World Series of Poker.

Stage:

BLINDS 100k/200k, before 30k – PREFLOP:

  • Got Ks-10s, go up to 400k
  • B has As-Ad, calls 200k

The A-raise is standard for K-10, which is not nearly as weak in short-handed play as it is at a full table. B could have reraised A, but A could fold. B might only be concerned if the flop came paired as JJ-7, but B believes that a continuation test bet will detect if A has a hand after the flop.

Reraising before the flop, which tests bet, has the same effect of making A fold if A has nothing, but calling not only hides the strength of A’s hand, but also makes it dangerous for B to bet if a king or a ten appears.

FLOP: Kc-5h-3h

  • checks B
  • Has 525k bets
  • Raises to 1.45m

A calls 875k (Pot now 3.76m) Now A suddenly had top pair which he might think is the best hand!

  • B checks, again to hide the strength of the hand.
  • A bets to build the pot, then B raises.

A may interpret B’s raise as a bluff because he might think that B is pulling (note the 2-Clubs) or that B may have a smaller pair, say A-5 or A-3. A only calls because now he is the one trying to catch.

TURN: Kc-5c-3h-6s

  • bbet 1.5m
  • The 3-Flush did not arrive. B’s bet is now challenging A.
  • If A folds, B still wins a big pot. If A calls or raises again, B can push him all in if action returns to B.

It seems that A’s trap is working so far. Now B could have decided that A remains on the flush draw with perhaps a small pair, say Bc-3h. Also, because A disguised the strength of his hand well before the flop (just calling softly), B can imagine that A also has a king, but with a weaker kicker. He is now convinced that A is going to call whatever he drags in the middle, and he also believes that his trap is working. So what does he do?

  • A moves all in
  • B equals 3.6m (Pot now close to 14 million)

They both think their traps are successful!

In poker, the higher the hands, the larger the chips in front. Both did well to preserve balance by building the pot and camouflaging hand strength, but only one hand can win. A can only win with a king or a ten on the river.

RIVER: Kc-5c-3h-6s-10c (!)

Win! But he had continued to trap until the river with this river card, it is still the same. Both still have great hands, both are primed to trap, and both are willing to ravenously stack each other’s chips once the opportunity arises.

Slow Play Versus Slow Play Trap: A Conclusion

Please take the time to read and understand the principles behind this article. Try to fully understand the key facts behind what is happening with this example, and think of ways to put these lessons into your individual game. While poker is not a difficult game to learn, it is very difficult to win money on a regular basis if you play seriously.

But if (and when) you learn to play online poker well, you’ll win some serious money. Why? Because most players never get close to what we can call a good level of play.

So if you can learn to play above average then it’s not hard to make good money. You certainly don’t need to play the WSOP levels. The fact that most players are so low skill will mean that every time you hunt/play them in free online poker or low stakes sites, then you can clean.