Use These Three Steps To Win At Heads-Up

YOUR WINNING STRATEGY FOR HEADS-UP poker can be "boiled
down" to three simple steps:

1. Push The Action
2. Set The Stage
3. Trap Your Opponent

Let's take a look...

Step one is to PUSH THE ACTION. In heads-up poker, the
blinds are often substantial.

And the FASTEST way to build your stack and gain momentum is
to win the blinds as much as possible.

Be the player to push the action...

Consistently raise when you're the dealer. This is a
wonderful position because you get to act FIRST pre-flop but
last post-flop. You can represent a hand by raising... and
then get a read on your opponent after the flop.

The more you push the action, the more blinds you'll win.

Of course, this behavior will also keep your opponent OFF
BALANCE... while he tries to adjust to YOUR GAME.

As soon as he gets a hand, he'll start coming back over the
top of you. And that's when you back off.

Step two is to SET THE STAGE...

Now that you've been aggressive, it's time to set yourself
up for some BIG pots.

Heads-up poker is usually determined by one major hand...
maybe two. You want to SET YOURSELF UP for that hand.

In normal multi-player poker, those "big hands" usually
occur when two or more players have great cards-- like a
straight versus a flush, or trips versus two pair.

In HEADS-UP POKER, this doesn't happen nearly as much,
because the odds of someone catching a hand like a straight
or flush or whatever is much lower.

That's why the SET UP is so powerful.

Here's how to set yourself up for victory...

First of all, realize that what your opponent is trying to
do is "figure you out". He probably KNOWS that he needs to
take control and steal blinds in order to win the match.

After setting the tempo and stealing blinds from HIM, it's
time to give him a false sense of "hope" and "control". And
it's time to show your cards once or twice...

After stealing a pot, show your bluff... just casually. You
can say something like, "Jeeze, I'm bullying you here, you
didn't have 9-5 offsuit beat?"

Or maybe what you can do is "ACCIDENTALLY" show your cards
after winning a hand...

(This is sneaky.)

Toss your hole cards into the muck after winning a hand so
that they just "happen" to turn face up.

"Oops."

LOL.

This will surely get your opponent riled up.

Then what you do is PRETEND to fall into a consistent
betting pattern. Start checking the flop-- or betting very
small amounts consistently.

Every time your opponent bets, let him steal the pot. But
only let him steal it with BIG BETS... no "wuss" action
allowed.

In other words, when you don't have a hand, bet on the flop
the SAME EXACT AMOUNT a few times in a row. When your
opponent RAISES, muck it.

The goal is for your opponent to think, "Wow, I've finally
got this sucker figured out. He plays aggressively and bets
a lot, but folds when I crank up the pressure."

Once he's thinking that... it's time for the KILL.

Step three is to TRAP YOUR OPPONENT...

What you do is wait for a good hand-- or a hand you're
confident will be the winner.

Then play it EXACTLY LIKE YOU'VE BEEN PLAYING YOUR BAD
HANDS.

This is important. This principle is the "secret" that pros
use for all heads-up poker.

When you catch something really good, play it like it's bad.
Let your opponent come to you.

Bet small, check the flop, or do whatever it is that will
get your opponent to try to steal the pot.

Then go over the top of him.

Act is if you're TIRED of getting pushed around.

Of course, there may be no need to go over the top of him.
Often times in heads-up a single raise is already all-in...
and if that's the case, you've won the game.

If not, then you just need to get your opponent to go all-in
trying to bluff this pot from you. (Or maybe he has
something OK.)

Remember-- your opponent must think you have NOTHING. That
way he'll risk a lot of chips to win the pot... trying to
"bully" you.

Obviously, your strategy is to make him feel pot-committed
with the worst hand... that way his only way to win the hand
is to go all-in.

Any time I win a heads-up match because my opponent goes
all-in on a bluff when I've got a real hand, I know I've
played the match well.

For whatever reason, most players make too many loose all-in
bets heads-up... and that's exactly what you want to
capitalize on.

So remember...

1. Push The Action
2. Set The Stage
3. Trap Your Opponent

This step-by-step process and these techniques are BEST USED
when you go heads-up against someone with about the same
starting amount of chips as you...

And of course, every heads-up situation is different,
because every OPPONENT is different.

But the key is to know the OBJECTIVE in each stage of your
match... and the ways to ACHIEVE that goal for any given
opponent.

A Special Technique For Spotting A Bluff

Let me show this great new technique I've discovered for
quickly spotting a bluff...

I call it the "Question-Mark Check".

This technique will IMMEDIATELY help you sense weakness in
your opponents... and sniff out bluffs at the poker table.

"Sensing weakness" means when you get the feeling your
opponent does NOT have a strong hand...

This information is extremely valuable, of course, because
you can use it to bet aggressively, raise, or even
check-raise your opponents out of a pot to win more money.

In order for me to explain this concept, however, I had to
create some quick audio examples for you to listen to.

Go to this page to learn all about this brand new strategy
and hear the audio (loads quickly):

http://www.Texas-Holdem-Secrets.com/questionmarkcheck.htm

Know EXACTLY What Your Opponents Are Holding

"SIT DOWN, SHUT UP, and WATCH."

Don't start running your mouth... don't try to act cool...
and don't daydream. The first few minutes you're at the
table is perhaps the most IMPORTANT time there.

Once you've done this, be sure not to rush into any hands.
In fact, I recommend NOT getting involved in any hands at
the very beginning... and here's why:

If you're an experienced tournament player, you know that
most players are eliminated from tournaments when they are
in "shuffle times" (when they are moving from table to
table).

It is at these times when the BIGGEST MISTAKES are usually
made.

Let's say that you sit down a new table. You may have been
playing at a tight table where you could buy a lot of
pots...

You sit at this new table... and fall right back into your
betting pattern. You make a bold move, try to buy a pot, and
get burnt because THIS TABLE is much LOOSER than the last
one.

This puts you at a disadvantage right away... one which you
might not recover from.

When I move to a new table... or begin at a game where I
don't know the players... I always wait at least 3-4 rounds
of betting before I get involved in a hand... and a lot of
times I wait EVEN LONGER.

This gives me a chance to get to know my opponents... BEFORE
I risk any chips.

I call it my "Study Period."

Of course, the WHOLE GAME is a study period in itself... but
these first few hands is 100% devoted towards just watching
my poker opponents.

And here's the added benefit:

If I don't know my competition, THEY don't know ME, either.
By taking my time and doing my study period, I learn about
THEM... but they DON'T LEARN ABOUT ME.

If anything, they just ASSUME that I'm a tight player...

That means within 10 minutes, I immediately have an
advantage over all the other players at the table... even if
I haven't won a pot yet... or even played a hand.

OK, so when you do your study period, what should you look
for?

A lot of newbies think it's all in the face and in the
eyes... which is a mistake.

Most poker tells are the COMBINATION of an entire set of
movements and behavior...

On TV-- especially in movies-- poker tells are portrayed as
something as simple as the twitch of a nose or the movement
of a leg.

Kind of like in "Rounders," when Mike McDee figures out
Teddy KGB based on how he ate his cookies.

TAKE NOTE...

For the most part, this type of portrayal of poker tells is
a TOTAL MYTH.

If you think you can figure out a player's hand just based
on how he blinks, you're in for a rude awakening... and
you'll lose your chips fast.

In REAL LIFE (where you play), tells are more complex...

...VERY RARELY are they "cut and dry."

When you study your opponents... here are the things you
should think about:

1. Past Play

Think about how this player has acted in the past...

Is he usually strong or weak?

Aggressive or timid?

Smart or dumb?

And so on...

2. Timing

If your instinct tells you that a player deliberated for a
long time trying to make a choice, chances are that his hand
isn't too strong.

However, you should also note how long he has taken to play
in the past, to make sure that the move wasn't just a
regular timing move.

3. Posture

Especially with bad players, the posture of a player is a
key tell that will reveal a lot about a hand...

If the person leans back, that USUALLY represents strength.
If he leans forward, that USUALLY represents weakness.

Once again, poker tells aren't black and white. It's a gray
area, where everything needs to be considered together...

4. Bet Amount

If a player tends to make small bets, but then places an
unusually large bet, he could be holding a strong hand. Or
he may be trying to buy the pot.

Always watch for irregularities in betting patterns... most
amateurs don't mix up their bets enough, which gives you an
easy edge if you pay attention.

5. Pulse

This is one of the only "body tells" that I find works most
of the time. You can usually see the intensity of a player's
pulse by looking closely at his neck.

Often if a player gets "shaky," he usually has a great hand.
If the player is cool and collected, it's probably a fake.

6. Your Gut Feeling

Depending on your poker experience, your gut will often be
your best guide...

I've been playing poker for so long now that when I sit down
with newbies, I can usually read the players almost
INSTANTLY, without much thought.

It just comes naturally... and it will come naturally to
you, too... once you gain a lot of experience under your
belt... and once you spend enough time studying the game.

With the pros, of course, you've got to be much more
careful, because they DO know how to disguise their tells
and play their hands in an unpredictable manner.

So, to recap:

1. When you sit down to play at a table of strangers...
especially in a tournament... take your time before becoming
involved in a hand.

2. Go through a careful "Study Period." During this time,
SHUT UP and STUDY the players intensely.

3. When you start betting, watch for the six things we
discussed: past play, timing, posture, bet amount, pulse,
and your own gut instincts.

Finally... there's one more step to add...

And that is:

NEVER REVEAL THE WAY YOU THINK.

Here's what I mean...

Poker is truly a BATTLE of minds. The tells we've been
discussing are mostly simple REFLECTIONS of how a player is
thinking at the time of a bet.

For some reason, it's a natural tendency in all of us to
share our thoughts at the poker table... ESPECIALLY when we
aren't involved in hands.

This is more common during "home games" than in tournament
play or casinos...

For instance, let's say there's a heads up match between Don
and John after the river card.

Don goes all in...

The river was the third diamond on the board. John has trip
Aces.

(Of course, a flush would beat John's three of a kind.)

Anyway... John's has to decide whether Don is a on a
bluff... or if he caught the diamond flush.

THIS is where everyone starts screwing up:

Since Don is all in... and can't change his mind... John
shows his trip Aces to the other guys at the table who
aren't in the hand.

He says, "Man, I don't know whether to call. Don made a
pre-flop raise... I think he's just pot-committed and is
trying to buy it."

Someone else might chime in, "Yea, but he seems like he's
got the flush. Did you notice how he's been quiet the whole
hand?"

Someone else says, "C'mon wuss. Just call his bet and go
all-in... I'm getting tired and want to get going."

And so on...

Do you see where I'm going with this?

John should NEVER show his Aces to the other guys of
course... aside from being bad poker etiquette, now they
just saw an entire "free hand" and got to see how John acted
the whole way with his three of a kind.

The next guy just revealed that he's been watching how
SILENT Don has been... which clues everyone in on how this
guy thinks about tells. Now you know to be very conscious
about how much you talk around this player.

And the third guy reveals an attitude of carelessness...
which means as soon as I caught a good hand I'd try to get
in a heads-up match with him and go all in... because
there's a decent chance he'll call.

When you reveal your THINKING PROCESS, you're simply GIVING
AWAY tons of crucial information... FOR NO REASON.

The other players at the table with pick up a read on you
quickly... both consciously and subconsciously.

So don't do it.

Period.

As you know, Texas Holdem is filled with TONS of techniques
and strategies like these, that anyone can understand if
they just take the time to learn them.

Unlike popular belief, poker is NOT about having natural
talent.

It's about LEARNING-- through experience, analysis, and
expertise-- how to MASTER the game.

Hilarious Poker Jokes

You'll really get a kick out of this...

Awhile back I attended the *Card Player Of The Year* awards
show and saw a stand-up performance by Brad Garrett.

Brad Garrett is the guy from "Everybody Loves Raymond"... he
plays Ray's brother (the big tall one with the deep voice).

Anyway, he is FREAKING HILARIOUS. I honestly don't know if
I've ever laughed so hard in my entire LIFE!

He completely busted on all the professional poker players
in the audience. It was ruthless. Below are some of the
jokes I remember.

GET READY TO LAUGH!

(Disclaimer: Please don't read on if you have sensitive
ears. Remember that these aren't MY jokes... I'm just
recounting what I heard at the awards show!)


*** JOKES TOLD BY BRAD GARRETT ***

Right away Garrett started ripping on Phil Hellmuth:

"We've got Phil Hellmuth in the house tonight... No one told
me that, I just know because I heard WHINING as I came in."

"Next year we're actually gonna have the award show OUTSIDE,
that way Phil can bring his ego..."

LOL.

Then it was on to Mike "The Mouth" Matusow...

"Mike Matusow is also here tonight. Hey Mike, where you at?
Oh wow... I'm surprised you can raise your hand with those
cuffs on!"

"Mike Matusow is nominated for an award tonight, which
proves Darwin didn't know s**t!"

Later, Matusow presented the award for "Best Poker
Ambassador". Here's what Brad Garrett had to say about that:

"Having Mike Matusow present the award for Best Poker
Ambassador is like having Dick Cheney present an award for
marksmanship."

Then it REALLY got bad...

"Jennifer Tilly is shacking up with Phil Laak, the
Unabomber. Jennifer told me backstage that "Unabomber" is
code for one testicle-- and apparently she's having a ball."

"I love watching Jennifer Tilly on that celebrity poker TV
show... people, those aren't nipples. Those are triples!"

"Jennifer has the best rack in all of poker-- Wait, I take
that back. She has the second best rack in all of poker. The
best belongs to GREG RAYMER!"

(OUCH)

"When Greg Raymer says "all-in", it's at the buffet table."

"Greg, you seem like a really nice guy, and you won a couple
million dollars last year... now try eating a f***in salad!"

Garrett had plenty of one-liners for others in the audience
too:

"Amir Vahedi, I haven't seen him since flight school..."

After the break:

"Welcome back ladies and gentlemen. The theater wants me to
remind everyone that there's no smoking inside. Amir, please
put out your shoe."

To Doyle Brunson and his son Todd:

"Hey Doyle, the Civil War called, they found your journals."

"Todd Brunson skipped the clan meeting to be here."

When speaking to Daniel Negreanu:

"Don't worry Daniel, I'm sure your nuts will drop soon."

To Scotty Nguyen:

"Please Scotty, have a sandwich. You look like my X-ray."

And last but not least, Garrett cracked on Barry "Robin
Hood" Greenstein. Here's what he said:

"Barry Greenstein gives all his winnings to charity... of
course, Charity happens to be a STRIPPER who works the late
shift at Spearmint Rhino. If you hurry Barry, you can catch
her after the show!"

***


OH LORD it was damn funny! Even as I write this I'm cracking
up again.

Whew, what a night.

If you ever get a chance to attend something like this, I
HIGHLY recommend it.

Often times the casinos will give away tickets and full-paid
packages to major poker events like this... as prizes in
their tournaments.

Next time I come across something I'll be sure to email you
about it.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the Brad Garrett jokes as much as I
did!