Hand strength at heads up

At heads up hand values go way up. This can be combined with getting a read on the opponent to make some plays you might not make at a full table.

Here's the second hand of heads up. In the first hand I checked 78s in the BB and bet/folded bottom pair on the flop. Calling the raise would have committed me and I figured I was only beating a bluff.

In heads up any Ace preflop is a strong hand. I raise and get min 3bet. I have to call the 3bet because of pot odds and calling it pretty much makes me pot committed so I just pushed. I thought villain was kind of a donk so I wasn't convinced I was behind.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t600 (2 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: Plain Text)

BB (t21075)
Hero (t5925)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Ad, 3d.
Hero raises to t1500, BB raises to t2400, Hero raises to t5875, BB calls t3475.

Flop: (t11750) 9c, Ah, 2c (2 players)
Turn: (t11750) 6c (2 players)
River: (t11750) 7c (2 players)
Final Pot: t11750

Results:
BB has Kh 9h (one pair, nines).
Hero has Ad 3d (one pair, aces).
Outcome: Hero wins t11750.

Turns out my read was good and fortunately my lead held up. He was 3betting light trying to make me fold. Good to know.


I couple of hands later came this key hand.

Villain again makes a donk all in move. I figured if he had a king or a better Jack then he would have raised preflop. Plus in heads up middle pair is a strong hand so I called.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t600 (2 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: Plain Text)

BB (t15200)
Hero (t11800)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Jd, 8s.
Hero calls t300, BB checks.

Flop: (t950) Jh, Ks, 5s (2 players)
BB bets t14550 (All-In), Hero calls t11150 (All-In).

Turn: (t26650) Ts (2 players, 2 all-in)
River: (t26650) 2c (2 players, 2 all-in)

Final Pot: t23250

Results:
BB has 3h 5d (one pair, fives).
Hero has Jd 8s (one pair, jacks).
Outcome: Hero wins t23250.


Again my read was correct and my better hand held up giving me a big chip lead.

Villain then moved all in before the flop the next three hands and I just folded. I could afford to wait for something worth calling him with.

The next hand I'm dealt K4 and villain again is all in preflop.

The average hand in hold'em is Q7. I have K4 and if villain is pushing any two cards which it seems he was then K4 is ahead of his range. So I called the all in with king high.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t600 (2 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: Plain Text)

BB (t5350)
Hero (t21650)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 4c, Ks.
Hero calls t300, BB raises to t5300, Hero calls t4700.

Flop: (t10350) Js, Kd, Qd (2 players)
Turn: (t10350) 2c (2 players)
River: (t10350) 4s (2 players)
Final Pot: t10350

Results:
BB has Ad 8s (high card, ace).
Hero has 4c Ks (two pair, kings and fours).
Outcome: Hero wins t10350.


Turns out he had the better starting hand. Luckily for me I beat him on the flop to take it down. It was fortunate overall to have my better hands hold up and my worse hand win. Still I was in good shape even if he won that hand and I think I would have won later on anyway.