Any tips for heads up

Well im playing in a local game this eve, and its a heads up tournament.

Ive never played in this style of tournament, but the heads up part of my game is one of my stronger points.

My worry is that you dont have time to relax into your game, straight away you
have to be agressive(i think). And you dont have that time to sus out the other player.

I think i have to take control of the game straight away by raising ect???

Any hints or tips on how to handle this type of play would be of great help.

I think its the fear of the unknown!!!!

I love to play heads-up poker, simply because of the enjoyment of the mental battle that goes on between two good players. Its my favorite kind of game and suits me well because I play a fairly agressive style of poker usually. So, here are my suggestions...let us know how it goes.

Aggression will be your biggest weapon especially if you display it right away and never let up. You want to make two kinds of plays, raise or fold. If the hand is dencent enough to play, make your opponent pay to see the flop with you. Don't give anything away.

Keep your hand strength requirements in mind. I'm sure you know what hands are playable heads-up versus full-ring, but a lot of people don't and end up getting run over in a heads up match waiting for cards. During the early stages of a tournament or a full ring game, you may need a high Flush, a straight, or top set to win a hand, but in heads-up play you will be able to win many hands with bottom set, top pair-top kicker, or even Ace high. This is not to say "play Ace high like it will win ever pot," more like don't arbitrarily throw any hand away because it doesn't usually win when playing a full table. The reason for this is that you are only playing one other player. If the flop misses you, odds are that the flop missed your opponent as well and if neither of you improves, your A-rag may be able to take down a pot. Same with top pair or even middle or botom pair, you really can't count anything out.

Another maxim I try to stick with if at all possible, is that I don't ever like to call all my chips off in a situation, I like to be the one putting the other guy to the decision to call my bet. The exception to this is when I'm strong and have tried to entice someone to push. In this instance I welcome the push and gladly call. This all goes back to the control part of heads-up play. Someone has to control the table and if it isn't you, it is your opponent. You want to maintain control of every second of play from the minute you sit down until the last hand is played. I hope this helps, and again, let us know how you do.

Thanks Diablo,

Will keep your points in mind when playing this eveing.

CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL

thanks again, will keep you posted.

I was about to answer to this thread, and then I read diablo's post. All the advice I was going to give (play aggressive), and much, much more. Diablo, I have to tell ya, you have the best posts regarding all the nuances of poker play, and I always learn something from reading them. It may be something I already knew, but even so, it may just be a different angle I hadn't thought of. Thanks for sharing your knowledge...I plan to use it against you soon! Now excuse me, I need to go wipe my nose....some sort of brown substance has appeared....

KillerK...love your avatar....lmao!

Haha, thanks JQ. I know I have a tendancy to rub people the wrong way and just generally piss people off, but I also know a little about poker which is probably the only reason I haven't been banned already, lol. I like to contribute and I hope other members can take even a little piece of advice I've given and use it to make themselves money. I consider myself a student of the game rather than a player and like to learn as much or more than I like to play.

One thing I would like to add to my above post regarding heads-up play, which I forgot to mention, is the importance of keeping your temper even during play. When you steam or tilt during a ring game, you will invariably make bad decisions and send chunks of your chips to all corners of the table, which is a bad thing for obvious reasons. Even worse, when you tilt playing heads-up your chips only have one place to go and that place is to the only person who can do you damage. Playing a full ring, you may chunk off a little to 2 or 3 players before you get control of the situation and go off tilt, these three or so players still have to worry about 9 others at the table who are looking to take the chips you just sent them and then some. The implications of tilting off your chips during heads-up play are far greater than a full ring or tournament setting. You're sending them right across the table and giving them to the only opposition you have. So the other piece of advice would be to completely focus on controling the game in every aspect, including your demeanor. Tilting in a heads up match can send you packing quicker than in any other poker game. Again, good luck and keep us posted.

More sound advice. And I've seen what you mean about people getting rubbed the wrong way by you, and why some call you an asshole and really mean it! lol I however, totally get your style, and like the fact that people will always know where they stand with you. Actually, in reading your posts, I see that you are actually a really nice guy (a secret that you try to heavily guard), willing to help...you just have no time and patience for stupidity (and who could fault you for that)!

::mumbles to self:: shit, she figured me out...

Haha, thanks for the kind words. And you're right. I'm not a particularly mean person. Brutally honest, yes. Abrasive sometimes, yes. Straightforward, absolutely. But also, willing to help, always takes time to do so, and likes doing it. I just have an extremely low threshold for people with no common sense, the inability to think on their own, or plain stupidity. I catch crap a lot about the flames I had out, but I actually don't ever flame anyone that either a.) Is a freeroll whore that is only here for the freebies or b.) Is another poster that is asking for it in a major way. Anyone is free to go back and read through all 1000 of my posts and I challenge them to find even 2 or 3 examples where I flamed a newbie who didn't live up to exactly the standard I thought they would or an older member I flamed that didn't end up getting banned by Nick for being a complete douchebag. I am one person, I can say with complete certainty, has given far more back to this site than I will ever take from it. Anyway, thanks again for the kind words, its nice to know that someone gets it.

PS-- Just for the sake of clarification of the facts as they stand...they aren't the only ones that call me an Asshole™. I readily admit that I am one. A fact that I am rather proud of.

All together now, three cheers for Diablo... Hip hip hooray, hip hip hooray, hip hip hooray.

See, now that guy...deserves any flame he gets.

I'm not sure I can add much to diablos sound advice other than this. Playing out of position isn't as bad as one might think for a few reasons. A raise from the SB/Button doesn't mean the same as it does at a full table. With a min raise, your still getting favorable pot odds of 2:1. In fact, the SB would have to be 5 time his small bet just to make it even-up. If he regularly makes this bet, and you regularly call he's gonna have to slow down with his marginal hands.
In addition, IMO the BB has the advantage of acting first after the flop. Why is acting first a good thing? Because as diablo said, the flop usually misses both players and when this happens first to act usually takes it. This is akin to protecting your blinds when the action gets checked around to the button or the SB at a full table.Oh man, I'm so disillusioned. Just what we need, another candy ass nice guy.

Additionally, I would like to add that I give more back to this site and contribute more than robephuckay has or ever will, therefore smartass comments like the above are comical in a way. Hey robephuckay, find some grammar to correct or something to whine to Nick about. Thanks.

PS--4dongs...don't bet on that nice guy schtick. LMAO, I just noticed I typed dongs instead of dogs and I'm not changing it you meatwhistle.

Oh that was a mistake? I was wondering how you knew.

Womans intuition...damn this thread got way off-track. Sorry Kat.

Well I was ready and worked up for this heads up tournament with all your sound advice. Only to find out later yesterday evening that they had changed the format to a regular style game, apparently people were not up for it. (boo who)


However myself and tenbob and five of our mates still registered for the game feeling a little pissed. ( We were all really looking forward to the heads up ).

I made it too the later stages of the game but got knocked out before the money. Oh well!!! Good fun had!! Got knocked out with pocket 8's against q j suited, he hit the flush.50/50. Not much you can do.


After we all got knocked out, (me being the last ) five of us headed back to my friend sues house for a couple of games. Won the two games there so I recouped my losses.


Was called by one of the better players (or so he likes to think) his torment.

I took it as a compliment, but I really don’t think he meant it as one. LOL. He was not happy,
Overall one good Friday night of poker, losses and wins, tears and laughter.

MORE PLEASE.

Thanks again for your advice, unfortunately it was not put to good use, but will be used in the future.........

Just that this was the third Diabloblanco tribute i'd read in the last week. All written by, erm...... Diabloblanco. You certainly don't suffer from low self-esteem.

I was replying to another posters compliments. And please, show me three tributes to myself that I have posted. The simple fact of the matter is that I have done more to contribute to this community than you ever will. If that is something that bothers you, stop whining to Nick about what's is or isn't being done up to your exacting standards and spend your time answering questions and helping people. But that would require too much constructive work on your part, now wouldn't it?

You would much rather post 2 liners correcting other members' grammar and whining about what the site needs in order to be a better place. If you ever want to see the difference between your posts and mine, go back and read the last 40 or 50 from each of us. You will find that many of mine are helpful, insightful, and usually answer questions. Sure I have my share of one liners to stupid posts and zingers to people that deserve them, but I do contribute. You on the other hand rarely if ever assist anyone in any way. Your constant snide remarks and smartass comments are not accompanied by decent informative posts of any kind.

I would also like to know where all these tribute posts written by me, about myself, are located. I am sure this thread was just another weak assed attempt at a personal attack on your part that failed miserably. So please do link me to these self serving posts that I supposedly made and in the meantime try to contribute something constructive to the forum. If you do, then maybe someday you can--with a clear conscience--make a post about yourself and how great you are. Until then feel free to wallow in your mediocrity.

**edit**

I just went back and actually read the last 75 posts you have made on this forum and counted less than five (5) that had anything remotely helpful or informative within. You're a complete tool. I also saw your cute little post about me in the "Titan" thread. You remember, the one where you once again stuck your nose into a conevrsation that had absolutely zero to do with you in order to make a few cheap shots at me. I think I finally figured it out. I finally figured out why you find it necessary to stalk my posts on the forum and run your mouth about me constantly. Your jealous...understandably so, but you simply must stop. Its such a useless emotion. I was actually going to just leave you alone and not comment on how utterly useless you are and how you add nothing to this forum, but since you can't seem to keep me out of your thoughts and posts, I reckon ill just start pointing out how worthless you are on a regular basis. Good-day.

I needed that, good answer,still learning all. Good question and post! robwhufc want to thank you for advise you gave me the other day!! Stupidity and too much company but remains my own fault. Advise deeply appreciated.