PLAYER STRATEGY
POKER: Head Games
I
N THIS COLUMN, WE TALK ABOUT advertising—a way of messing with players’ heads in order to confuse them and induce action later on. We’ll do it by three-betting someone with a suited connected hand, such as 6-7 suited. Why suited connectors? A suited connector is the kind of hand that you might hit easily when you’re out there making a play. It’s said that timing is everything in life, so how do you time this crazy move? Before I go any further, I want to stress that you shouldn’t use the play too often, and when you do, it should be against the right people. I would never use it on a mouse, for example, for two reasons. First, the mouse is set in his ways and won’t give you any extra action no matter what you do. Second, why take 6-7 suited against a big pair (which is probably what he has), when it’s so hard to win that pot? Early in the evening is the perfect time to use this play, because then you may get extra action all night long! Why use it when only a few more hands are to be played, when you won’t gain the benefit of extra action? In general, three-betting an opponent with suited connectors is a losing play for that one hand, but you make the play occasionally anyway because it will bring you extra action for another hour or two. This extra action will ultimately bring you more money, but it may also cause you to lose some pots that you ordinarily would have won when someone who now thinks you might be in there with any piece of junk runs you down with a really weak hand. Still, re-raising with this type of hand will mess up the other players’ attempts to read you. In the future when you three-bet pre-flop, they will begin to wonder whether you have 6-7 suited. If you win one of these pots without having to show down your hand, then I recommend folding your hand facedown and trying the same play again soon. As long as the play keeps working and you don’t have to show your hand, continue to use it. But when you’ve been caught bluffing with one of these hands on the end, then flip it face-up and say, “I have nothing.” Even better is when you do hit your hand and
flip it up at the end of the hand and say, “I have a straight!” It’s pretty funny to watch the players at the table study your hand and realize that you three-bet before the flop with your 8-9 suited! When you show down weak suited connectors that you three-bet with pre-flop, make sure that you’re ready to play really tight for awhile, since you will get extra action for a time afterward. Just make sure that you have a strong hand when they do call you down later. Suppose you’re about one hour into a poker game that figures to last six hours or so. You have 8d-9d in late position and a jackal has just made it two bets in front of you. You now decide to make it three bets, and everyone folds except the jackal. The flop comes down Ah-Ks-4d, and the jackal bets out into you. Of course, you now go ahead and raise the jackal on the flop, attempting to take the pot away from him right then and there. If the jackal folds, just throw your hand away facedown. But if he calls, make sure that you try to bluff him on fourth street and the river. If he calls you down, then say, “Nine high” and flip your hand face-up. Just the look of the other players at the table will be worth the money that you lost on this hand! Well, maybe not just the look, but the look combined with the advertising is welcome! If the jackal folds his hand at some point, then fold your own hand facedown and try the same play again soon. Suppose that the jackal calls pre-flop and the flop is 6h-7h-2s (assume that you’ve three-bet him pre-flop with 8d-9d). This is a great flop for you because if you hit a five or a 10 you make a straight, and if you hit an eight or a nine you’ve made a pair of eights or nines, which would be top pair on the board. Of course you need to play this hand aggressively (ram and jam), and whether you hit the winning hand or miss your hand, just flip it face-up on the end when the jackal calls you down. Obviously, it works out pretty well for you when you do win the pot while making your “suited-connectors three-bet advertising play.” Just remember that advertising is usually pretty expensive, so make sure to look for ways to make it pay big dividends. And don’t advertise often.
by
PHIL HELLMUTH, JR.
Phil Hellmuth, Jr. is a 13-time World Series of Poker Champion, leading all other poker players in the world. He is the author of two New York Times bestsellers, and his latest book, Deal Me In, is also widely popular. Visit phillhellmuth.com to check out his clothing line, blog and exclusive gaming tips.
JUST THE LOOK OF THE OTHER PLAYERS AT THE TABLE WILL BE WORTH THE MONEY THAT YOU LOST ON THIS HAND!
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