Rules and Strategy for Poker3 Heads-Up Hold’em
Poker3 Heads-up Hold’em is a popular poker online poker game played at some Australian online casinos. The game is a simplified version of Limit Texas Hold’em poker where you’re playing against a computer opponent. If you have every played old-school Limit Hold’em pokies at live casinos, then you’ll be familiar with this game.
Today, we will teach you the basics of playing this game and some basic strategies to help you win more at the game. Note that you should probably have some experience playing poker before trying to play this game.
Poker3 Heads-Up Hold’em Rules
Poker3 Heads-Up Hold’em is an online poker game mimicking heads-up Limit Hold’em. By limit, we mean fixed limit and no NL Hold’em as is popular at many online poker rooms. If you’re familiar with how to play Texas Hold’em, then you know most of the rules already, but this game plays slightly differently.
When you first load the game, you will have to select the stakes and the player you wish to play against. The four players are below:
- Man in Suit – This guy is likely a high roller and the toughest opponent.
- Pro with Headphones – This player has a tight-aggressive style.
- Guy with Sunglasses – This guy plays a loose-aggressive style.
- Casual Player – This player doesn’t appear to have a strategy and is likely a calling station.
After you select your opponent, you will select your stakes. You can choose to play for .20, .50, $1, $2, $4, or $5. Once you’ve made your selection, you’ll start the game.
Texas Hold’em is a poker game where you make the best five-card poker hand using both the two hole cards in your hand and the five community cards in the middle of the table.
Playing a Hand of Heads-Up Hold’em
Instead of posting blinds before each hand, each player places an ante equal to the limit you selected. Then you and your opponent will receive cards face down. You can choose to continue playing or fold. If you choose to play, you’ll put in a bet equal to the stakes select.
Your opponent will choose to call or fold. If they fold, you win the pot immediately. Note that raises are not allowed in this game.
If your opponent calls, the flop is dealt. The flop is the first three community cards dealt in the center of the table. Again, you’ll decide to bet or fold. If you bet, you’ll place another bet equal to your selected stake. Your opponent will then act.
If they call your bet, the fourth community card known as the turn is dealt. From here until the end, bets are doubled. Say you chose .20 as your stake. Bets on the turn and river will be .40. If you call the bet and your opponent also calls, the river is then dealt.
The river is the last card to be dealt. If you bet and your opponent calls, both hands go to showdown. If you have the best hand, you will scoop the pot. When your opponent wins, the pot goes to the casino.
After the hand is concluded, you can either play another hand or choose to change stakes.
Basic Strategy for Winning
Heads-up Hold’em is very similar to playing heads-up Hold’em at an online poker room, so it is a good idea to into the game with a solid strategy. When you are dealt two hole cards, you don’t want to play every hand dealt to you.
Below is a chart of starting hands you should continue with after the initial deal:
- Pairs
- Any two cards containing an ace
- Any two cards from K-8 through K-Q
- Suited on non-suited Q-8 through Q-J
- Any combination of cards from J-8 through J-10
- Suited connectors (10-9 of hearts, 8-7 of clubs, etc)
Once you hit the flop, it is generally only a good idea to continue playing in the following situations:
- You have a pair
- When you have an open-ended straight draw
- When have a flush draw
- You have over cards to those on the board
- You have a straight draw and an overcard to the board
Since you will be the first player to bet on each hand, you should only make a bet on the river if you have at least a pair or better. Unless you’re playing against the casual player, most of your opponents are going to fold before the river if they do not have any type of hand. You will seldom be able to successfully bluff in this game.
Poker3 Heads-Up Hold’em is available at online casinos in Australia such as Joka Room, Mucho Vegas Casino or those that offer Betsoft games. For those that love to play online poker but don’t want to put up large chunks of your bankroll to play, this is a great alternative.