Trapping in Heads Up Poker

Success in Heads-up poker primarily depends on your ability to adapt to the specific tendencies of opponents. Trapping in heads-up poker is an extension of this general skill and can be a powerful weapon when used effectively. However, many players make basic errors when trying to trap in heads-up poker – and end up losing money. This article looks at the details of trapping and the specific adaptations required when trapping in the heads-up environment.

We start by looking at relative hand values in Heads-up poker, noting that the hand strength required to trap significantly changes. Next the texture of the flop is introduced into the discussion. Finally the critical factors of betting patterns and the tendencies of your opponents are covered.

At a full ring table a hand such as a weak top pair is often very vulnerable. While you may have the best hand at the moment the number of opponents, and your position at the table, will determine how strongly this hand can be played. In heads-up poker, top pair is a monster holding, in fact with the right opponent 2nd pair or even less can be used as a candidate for trapping. Whether to trap with a specific holding will depend on several factors – however the fact that you can trap an opponent with a greatly reduced hand when compared to full ring poker is clear.

The texture of the flop is another factor to consider when determining whether to trap in heads-up poker. For example a top pair holding on a flop of Q-7-2 is far stronger than the same pair on a flop of Q-J-9 of one suit. While heads-up draws are less problematic than when facing multiple opponents, it is still necessary to ensure that you charge opponents to draw in situations where a large number of cards still in the deck can make their hand.

Betting patterns are the single biggest consideration when trapping in heads-up poker. Imagine that you raise before the flop and are called, then hit top 2 pairs on a ragged flop. This is a monster heads-up and certainly more than enough to set a trap. Your own betting should be the first thing to consider. If you continuation bet 100% of the time after you have raised pre-flop and are then checked to it may make an opponent wary if you suddenly check. The best move here may be to bet out as usual – but to make that bet at the small end of you ‘normal’ continuation betting range.

If your opponent bets into you in the same situation then the case for calling as a trap is increased. This gets more money into the pot without alerting an out of position opponent that you hold a monster hand. The size of your opponents bet on the turn, compared to the remaining stack sizes will then dictate whether you re-raise or call again. With shallow stacks a turn bet may commit the rest of the money to go in on the river, in this case calling may be a viable option.

When out of position holding a monster hand the tendencies and betting patterns of your opponent becomes the critical factor. If your opponent will usually bet the flop and then fire again on the turn, the calling play will have its merits. If the stacks are deep you may get more money into the pot against an aggressive opponent by leading out in the hope of getting re-raised.

One situation where trapping should rarely be used in heads-up poker is when your opponent is particularly passive. Here you can not expect to get any money into the pot by checking and should instead aim to bet small enough amounts to build a pot by the river at the same time as making those bets as ‘easy to call’ as possible.

To summarize, there are three important factors to consider when trapping in heads-up poker. Firstly the strength of hand that you can trap with is far lower than in a full ring game and the effect of draws on the board also reduced (though not entirely irrelevant). Secondly, your ‘normal’ betting patterns should be taken into account, so as not to tip off an observant opponent that something is amiss. Third, the tendencies of your opponent, in terms of betting and propensity to call bets must also be factored in.