| Many people associate heads up poker with two | | | | actually play poker. The game is so fascinating as a |
| players playing against each other with both players | | | | topic to study and learn that people of all backgrounds |
| using actual heads up strategy. While this is often the | | | | are seduced into trying their hand at playing poker. |
| case, heads up poker can occur in any situation where | | | | This is despite the fact that in many cases, these |
| poker is played. If you are playing in a full ten handed | | | | people are incredibly risk averse. It is for this reason |
| ring game and it has been folded around to you and | | | | why the overwhelming number of people will never |
| you raise from the button and only the big blind calls | | | | make it to high-stakes levels either live or online by |
| you then this is a heads up situation. | | | | slowly grinding through the levels. |
| I feel though that we need to define the differences | | | | You may be able to change your skill level but |
| between heads up poker and heads up situations in | | | | changing your overall personality is something that is |
| cash games or tournaments. A heads up cash game | | | | more difficult. Learning heads up strategy in my opinion |
| is totally different and it will be critical to your success | | | | is worthwhile for the simple reason being that it will help |
| to know everything that you possibly can about your | | | | you to play better in ring games and for no other |
| opponent. Every single hand that you play and every | | | | reason. If you want to win a poker tournament then |
| action that you take will be against the same player so | | | | you will have to master heads up poker. Likewise if |
| you will be able to get to know them very well in a | | | | you want to win an SNG, you will have to master |
| fraction of the time that you would in a full ring game | | | | heads up poker. |
| or even a six max game. | | | | If you really want to increase your bottom line in cash |
| Of course the same can be said of them as they will | | | | games then learning heads up play will be essential. |
| also have been watching you very closely as well. The | | | | Tapping into your opponent's style and their betting |
| slightest piece of information will enable you to gain an | | | | patterns really is a licence to print money in heads up |
| edge over them and information is power in heads up | | | | play but on the flip side, it is also a licence to lose |
| poker. In ring games however the dynamic shifts. In a | | | | money if your opponent taps into your style and you |
| heads up cash game then heads up strategy is vastly | | | | fail to adjust in time. |
| different as you will be forced to play a very large | | | | Let us look at an example, without realising it |
| percentage of your hands out of necessity. | | | | whenever you raise pre-flop then you always |
| You will be posting blinds every single hand of play and | | | | continuation bet the flop. If this bet gets called then you |
| aggression and aggressive play will be the order of the | | | | also fire again on the turn with 100% of your range. |
| day. You will need to raise more, bluff raise more, fire | | | | This may seem like strong aggressive play and it |
| multi-barrel bluffs more and call down more with some | | | | would certainly be successful against weak tight |
| very weak holdings. Even moderate levels of | | | | playing rocks. But you don't tend to get those types of |
| aggression are of little use in heads up poker if you | | | | opponents in heads up poker games. |
| are up against a very aggressive opponent. | | | | If your play is so predictable that you are blindly making |
| Being forced to place blinds every single hand has a | | | | aggressive plays then your stronger opponents are |
| strong affect but this is almost eliminated in ring game | | | | going to pick you off! You will find yourself getting |
| play. In a ten handed ring game then there is little need | | | | called down with some very light hands and also |
| to get involved with weak hands in the blinds or to | | | | getting check-raised by the big blind either on the flop |
| attack the big blind with a weak hand. | | | | or the turn. |
| You are only placing blinds two hands out of every ten | | | | This will continue to happen until you eventually adjust |
| in a ten handed game and if there are bad players on | | | | and correct the problem. The thing is though that this |
| your table then you can fold a very high percentage of | | | | may end up costing you numerous buy-ins. Also what |
| your hands and still make a good profit. | | | | you have to remember is that heads up hands come |
| Being forced to place blinds every single hand has a | | | | around lightening fast in online play and when your |
| strong affect but this is almost eliminated in ring game | | | | opponent is hitting flops and winning your money then |
| play. In a ten handed ring game then there is little need | | | | tilt can be a serious problem for many people. |
| to get involved with weak hands in the blinds or to | | | | In my time as a poker player I have known many |
| attack the big blind with a weak hand. You are only | | | | players who stayed well clear of ever playing heads |
| placing blinds two hands out of every ten in a ten | | | | up poker. There is nothing wrong with this but learning |
| handed game and if there are bad players on your | | | | to play heads up will help you in playing short handed |
| table then you can fold a very high percentage of your | | | | poker and learning to play short handed poker will help |
| hands and still make a good profit. | | | | you if you are a full-ring player. I have known |
| It is a fact that the overwhelming majority of poker | | | | numerous poker players who have left the table in a |
| players are unsuited to heads up poker. In part this is | | | | full-ring game if the player numbers fell below seven |
| to do with a players overall attitude to risk. It is seldom | | | | players. |
| spoken about but millions of risk adverse people | | | | |