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[Cristianni]

What is the best strategy to win a heads-up?
From experience i can say that i'm not a very good heads-up player..
In tournaments i can say that i'm good enough to reach the final table..but i never get to win it i always lose at heads-up
What should i do? What should i change?

[travz21]

Play better, run hotter.

[testreet]

1. You don’t have to play every hand. It’s ok to fold your small blind if you have a lousy hand. Most players heads up play every hand. IMO, this is a mistake. You can’t wait for the best of the best, but you don’t have to play 63o either.

Don’t worry about the chips you’re losing here. Folding the small bind makes the other player think you’re only playing good hands so you’ll be able to raise him off of his BB enough to make up for it.


2. Don’t limp from the small blind, at least not very often. For the most part, you should either fold it or raise it. Save your limping for the BB. You don’t have position, so you need to win most of these hands pre-flop. The BB will probably raise you anyway. You need to be the one leading the betting.

The exception is if you get a monster like KK or AA.


3. Slow play the monster hand. If you get a big pocket pair, let the other overly aggressive player do the betting for you. This is player dependant, but if you’re against a player like I was playing last night, who kept using the all-in bluff, why not let him lead the way.


4. Mix up your play, a lot. I like to play a few hands in a row where I raise every hand and follow that by several folded small blinds. Switch up your raises from the minimum raise to a big half your stack raise. Keep the other player confused.

A confused player tends to be a passive player.


5. Don’t forget what got you there! If you’re a tight aggressive player and that’s what got you to the final two, then keep being tight aggressive. Don’t suddenly become loose aggressive. You’ll be out of your element.

Obviously your play has to loosen up when you get to this point, but you don’t have to be an “any two cards” type. It’s still ok to fold middle or bottom pair to an all-in bet.

Do you agree or disagree with anything above? What are your heads up poker strategies? Feel free to add more to the list or tell me that I have no idea what I’m talking about

[purplechip1]

1. You don’t have to play every hand. It’s ok to fold your small blind if you have a lousy hand. Most players heads up play every hand. IMO, this is a mistake. You can’t wait for the best of the best, but you don’t have to play 63o either.

Don’t worry about the chips you’re losing here. Folding the small bind makes the other player think you’re only playing good hands so you’ll be able to raise him off of his BB enough to make up for it.


2. Don’t limp from the small blind, at least not very often. For the most part, you should either fold it or raise it. Save your limping for the BB. You don’t have position, so you need to win most of these hands pre-flop. The BB will probably raise you anyway. You need to be the one leading the betting.

The exception is if you get a monster like KK or AA.


3. Slow play the monster hand. If you get a big pocket pair, let the other overly aggressive player do the betting for you. This is player dependant, but if you’re against a player like I was playing last night, who kept using the all-in bluff, why not let him lead the way.


4. Mix up your play, a lot. I like to play a few hands in a row where I raise every hand and follow that by several folded small blinds. Switch up your raises from the minimum raise to a big half your stack raise. Keep the other player confused.

A confused player tends to be a passive player.


5. Don’t forget what got you there! If you’re a tight aggressive player and that’s what got you to the final two, then keep being tight aggressive. Don’t suddenly become loose aggressive. You’ll be out of your element.

Obviously your play has to loosen up when you get to this point, but you don’t have to be an “any two cards” type. It’s still ok to fold middle or bottom pair to an all-in bet.

Do you agree or disagree with anything above? What are your heads up poker strategies? Feel free to add more to the list or tell me that I have no idea what I’m talking about

Also copied str8 off google. btw this got him a ptotw invite

[Cristianni]

maybe..but he was the only one who responded )

[Cristianni]

the other one who said run hotter was the stupidest advice..what kind of advice is that?

[travz21]

the other one who said run hotter was the stupidest advice..what kind of advice is that?

Play better, run hotter*. Don't misquote me.

[ballboy75]

I see myself as an above average HU player, especially in cash play.
I always start slowly trying to determine what kind of dummy is playing against me willing to lose his money. most of them are usually aggressive donks that dont have a CHECK button.
anyway, i seriously would advize that you dont make any dumb bluffs or heroic moves in HU until after 30 hands or so, after you reall get a feel for your opponent.

[KINO2WIN]

frm my experience playing final tables Hu, i can say that i won 9 times and lost 2 times.

the strategy i alway use to heads up final in the tournment is very aggressive, thats how i managed to win almost everytime.
the roll of the hands to play is bigger and i always used 3 or 4 bb raise almost everygood hand against the adversary. most of the times if they re raised for me to fold and steal blinds, i re raised to all in and that confused the opponent most of the times, forcing him to fold.

most important in HU play very aggressive, and run hot hot, with both things youll win for sure. dont wait to have premium hands to hu j10 or k9 can be very usefull (just giving and example). And another thing you can start to play like that when you are in the last 3 or 4, depend of your confidence.