Heads-Up Poker Tips
Heads up play is probably one of the most difficult forms of poker to master. You can be last two standing in a tournament or even if you’re playing a heads up ring game, knowing the proper strategy will give you the edge. Here is how some of the best players in the world look at heads up play.
Aggression is Key. You always want to be the aggressor. It is indispensable to understand that in heads up play weak hands should be considered decent hands. Middle pairs would therefore be great cards. Top pair is huge and bottom pair is not bad either. You also need to know what hands to play? The trick is to see as many flops as you possible can almost playing just about every hand. When your challenger bets you should call. Card like 8 3 is not just a bad hand simply because your opponent raised the pot.
The majority of heads up play is a battle to see who has the better of an average hand. It is rare that either player is actually making monsters. Most of the time it is a battle of who has the worst hand. Did I mention you want to be the aggressor? Middle pair is not a folding hand. If your opponent bets into you when you have the middle pair most of the time you have the best hand. Unless he puts a lot of pressure on you with your pair a re-raise will tell you what he has. But now that you’re the aggressor you also have to know when to let it go. Don’t bluff off your whole stack and by any means don’t be afraid to lay a pot down. Bluffing is important but knowing when to lay it down is even more essential. Heads up play is the battle of junk and aggression and the person to pick up the most pots will usually end mentally tiring their opponent into a big mistake.
Here is a quick tip sheet on heads up play.
• Be the aggressor
• When you are the first to act bet, don’t call
• Don’t bluff your whole stack away on one pot
• Its ok to slow down every once in awhile
• Just about any two cards can be played
• Don’t slow play your monsters, bet them
Are you an experienced heads up player?
Do you have any secret strategies to share?
