Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 5:34 pm Post subject: What to do when 2 people left
What happens with the blinds when only 2 people are left at table? Do both have to pay blinds?
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Joined: Nov 26, 2003 Posts: 643
Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 6:22 pm Post subject:
Hello Suzie and welcome.
The title of your question is a very interesting subject that goes way beyond simply the blinds. Strategy, bluff and how you play in general need to change in ways that are hard for many people. I'm writing an article on "Heads up play" which will be posted on the site soon so keep an eye out for that.
Answering your specific about blinds - yes, both players pay blinds. The dealer is the small blind and therefore the first to act, the opponent is obviously therefore big blind. At this stage blinds will be high, and odds of your opponent having better cards are as low as they'll ever be (at 50/50). In a nutshell you need to bet hard and often because:
1) Most people fold to raises - especially if they hold poor cards as is likely in any one hand heads up
2) You pick up big blinds
3) Even if you have 72 offsuit your odds of winning an allin are likely to be 30% even with the lower cards.
4) If you hit a pair or better still a high pair and have been raising on all sorts of rubbish then your opponent will call you with a moderate hand.
If you watch heads up in a major tournament on the television such as the WPT and compare it to a home game you'll notice that on TV they always raise every hand no matter what, whereas that just doesn't happen at home which tells you that there are lots of free chips just waiting to be picked up. More to follow soon.....
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