How to play heads up?

I've being playing many final tables lately and i feel a little frustrated with the fact that, even when i am the chip leader i never get to win the first place.
If i make it to the heads up i almost always end up loosing and get the 2nd place. I like to know if there is a strategy to be used in this situations, something you do when you are heads up and hoe to do it.Thanks.

By now you should have a fairly good read on your opponent and he on you. Time to mix it up. Don't turn into a calling station though, No shame in mucking garbage. Most guys that have a tough time playing HU have a hard time tossing pairs or better to an obvious outdraw. Time your agression well and be patient, the villian will make mistakes you can capitalise on.

The most comon mistake is when people get a nice chip lead HU they play way to loose (read: any two semi decent cards) and almost always give chips back. If you find yourself doing that tighten up!

Main thing, be patient. Steal when you can, muck when you have too, slow play when given the chance and play good poker. A little practice and you'll get there!

Here's my short two cents worth:

Heads up is more about stack size and playing the other player. The cards only matter at a showdown which probably won't happen very often.

Don't play too agressive, even when you are the chipleader. You'll better muck a few hands and play hands you beleave in. When you get a big hand don't raise too much, 3x BB is more then enough. Sometimes limp a monster hand can also help, but be aware an opponent who does this...

At microstakes SnG's (which is probably what you're playing), there are pretty much only 2 kinds of players:

1) Those that don't adjust, play far too few hands, and never bluff. Just grind these guys down with a steady diet of blind stealing & c-betting. Avoid their aggression.

2) Players who adjust too much, and think that since you're heads up, any 2 cards will do. Make top pair, take all their money.

And by the end of the SnG, you should have pretty much figured out which type of player your villain is.

If you run into a good heads up player in a 1$ SnG, curse your luck, and just shove all in a lot & flip for your dinner!

I play hu like a rabid donkey....any suited, any semi connected, any face card, well you know...any card is golden. You better switch gears totally if you want to win heads up.

AGGREssive and even more aggressive is the na,e of the game when your heads up especially if your the chip leader...you have to capitalize on ur opponets weakness make them fold make them wonder what you really got aNd never ever though bluff and show ur cards huge mistake and never play the4 same cards the same way twice dont let them get a read on how you bet

Take control of the hands,Push hard with any A, any K, pocket pairs all in.

Thank you all for the reply i'll be taking notes on the players in the table, by the way it would be very helpfull to hear your metods to take notes on the players. do you write every single hand?

Adventurebound has given the best advice IMO.
keep mixing it up (aggressive then conservative play then back again), see as many cheap flops as possible with suited and connected cards.

you said it the more chips someone has the looser they get.
i will tell you to read this and make a note of it.

Its heads up so the blinds are or should be a substantial amount.... so the best way i have found to gain momentum is to win blinds as much as you can....when you are on the button i would usually raise its a good position to do it from so push push push is my motto go hard or go home lol. Agression heads up is how you can set it up to win some big pots. I dont tell myself im going to get lots of good hands if im lucky itll be 3 if that thus the reason for the pushing so that when i do get the good hand im probably gonna be set up good enuf for it. due to all the agression in earlier hands i will beable to set trap when the good hand comes. hope this helps.

Bad advice imo, give me someone who shoves alot and I will have all of their chips soon, meaning that someone who shove alot will shove when you have the nuts eventually.
See as many cheap flops as you can, and don,t ruh it when you got great cards, it pays to let your opponent think you are scared of a paired board, so check when the trips come for you and let them think you are weak, or scared of the paired board then pounce when they shove.

I agree with the second poster, I haven't played too awful long, but I did decided a while back to deposite 50 bucks into FT and I decided to go to a headsup table.... Bad decision, I like most of the people on here, I betted aggresively with any and all semi decent hands... Lets just say he tore me a new one, I was out in 10 mins. I love posts like this tho I must say, it offers a ton of insight. And its the reason I joined this wonderful site

Well i get to heads up in a sit and go last night and i end up loosing again.
What do you sugest to do when you are the chip leader and you rival is raising in every hand whit all his chip. I did what apears to be obious: i wait until i got a big hand and i call. He beat me with poket aces. I don't know if i played well, what do you think?

Aggression aggression aggression. You should get practice by playing turbo heads up sit n gos. At the early stages, you won't get much valuable information but as the stack sizes get smaller in relation to the blinds, then you will get a lot more experience with common stack sizes at final tables.

Play agressive, don't raise monster hands more than 3xBB, check if you hit your set and try to see much cheap flops...

Have patience...

Heads up is basically a competition of will and dominance!

What i have learned over time is that relentless aggression wins. That means if your opponent is passive then you raise to make him frustrated and start going all in.

When they go all-in, this is where you have all the power.... if you do have the goods then call...if not fold...you will find that if you start raising again on the very next hand they will start to folding again...

If you are playing an aggressive player then you have to be tenacious and aggressive. You don't want to get into an all-in war because no one will relent so... call every pre-flop raise no matter what you have unless they put in like half your stack, then fold, but make sure you raise the next hand..... Don't let them think they are in control....

You raise if you have first bet and mix in some reraises when you they have first bet. The situation that seems to happen most often for me is to have a hand like 37 off and the flop comes something like 33Ace they have an ace and go all in....

Basically, you want to make your opponent play passive and get desperate and start going all-in so that you can pick and choose the deciding pot.

Definitely some of the best advice. ^^

The thing with HU is that it's such a feel game. Like afore mentioned, you just have to decide what type of player he is (hopefully before HU) and play him accordingly

What if you go against someone who is seriously tight, but when it gets down to HU he turns into a semi maniac?

Thoughts from a little fish...Take a minute when HU and relax, you have done the hard work, now get the gravy.

Lots of people have said to be aggressive, i prefer to say relax starting hand requirements and don't overvalue your hands. It is easy when playing agg. to get trapped by the amount you have invested in the pot.

Change your style, adapt to your opponent's style, being able to read the way they are playing is key or the best you can hope for is a coin flip. The more you play the better your reads will be, concentrating helps so switch the tv off and focus on all the tells, like how quick or slowly they bet with monster hands.

I think patience is very important HU, if my opponent is a very agg player pushing large stacks into the pot, then trapping is my preferred tactic, i will be passive and fold lots of average hands until they push when i have the nuts or close to it, i mentioned earlier it is easy to overvalue hands when playing agg, slowplaying a monster hand is a very effective way of winning a lot of chips, if not the game, when your agg opponent re-raises with an average hand because they think you will fold.

I think the cards you are dealt is the most important thing HU, sometimes you will not get the help you need, but that's just poker. Be positive and try to outplay the opponent by using another very important thing position.

If you use the reads you have and play position and you have a large enough stack so that you don't have to play lots of hands and you mix up your style, then you can take control of the situation. Don't be the caller when it comes to the all-in be the raiser.

Hope you have success soon.

This is some advice that I gave another CCer earlier today. When I get HU anymore I win a lot. You can use this or toss it, no problem.

This tends to be my biggest problem also. I'm too passive late in tourneys. But HU I can help you with.

When you are on the button, be aggresive. Always three or four bet on the button. Regardless of what you have or what position you are in chipwise. When the flop comes out, c-bet it with a 1/2 pot bet. Do this regardless of whether you hit the flop. Now, if you are called on your flop bet, reevaluate the situation. If you totally missed the flop, or don't have at least a strong draw, back off. If you lose it, you lose it, but don't put any more into it. If they bet back into you, fold.

This works great for me HU! And once I'm HU I win around 75% of the time. Yesterday I overcame an 8-1 chip disadvantage using this strategy. Especially if you've been tighter than dick's hatband up to this point it's going to throw even the loosest opponent for a loop. It's a tough strategy to defend against since both of you get two cards and rarely do you both get two "good" cards.

Now, I'm learning to loosen up a little when it gets closer to the end, but I've still got a ways to go. But if you are three tables away from FT and catch an A with a decent kicker, toss some chips at it. Make it at least a 4 bet if you are trying to steal and look for good position to do so. You don't want to be throwing chips too much when you are in early position. But if you have AJs in 1st position, try for it, and if you get called look at the flop. If you missed, and the cards come out to where you think he missed also, toss a 1/2 pot bet out there. If he missed, he will more than likely fold. But I would'nt toss at draw heavy flops or paired flops.

But anyway, you do need to be more aggresive. My advice on the HU, I feel, is gold. My advice on late tourney play though, I'm still working on. So take it or leave it on that one.


Edit: From time to time you will run into someone in HU that will catch on to your strategy of betting the button. When this happens they will tend to go all in whenever you bet. I usually let them do this twice (to make sure it wasn't a fluke when they caught high pockets). After that, you have to tighten back up. Play a couple of hands just completing the blind and let them get comfortable again. Then, when you do catch a bigger hand (77+, AJo+) 4 bet it again. Usually, they will fold. But sometimes you can get them to call and that is a great opportunity to slow play the flop if you hit big. If you do hit big (catch your ace or make a set) either check it to them or make a small 1x/2x bet to try and induce an all in from them.

After that, go back to tight for a couple of hands and work back into your strategy slowly.

I am sorry dg1267 but i do not agree with your post, your strategy seems to consist of raising every other hand and making a continuation bet regardless of your cards or the flop. If your opponent has a poor hand you will win the blind, if he pushes back you lose 3/4 blinds, so you would have to be successful 75% of the time to break even pre-flop. If your opponent calls your pre-flop raise then checks, as i would to an agg opponent, and you bet half the pot, when your opponent folds you win 6-8 blinds but when he calls or re-raises you lose 9-12 blinds, now you need to be successful 66% of the time to break even. I am not math expert so i would appreciate any feedback on these figures and any corrections that are offered.

If you play to a formula it can be solved, quality players will soon see how you are betting and adapt.

You say you are having trouble late in tourny's, i may be well wide of the mark but it could be because the players who are left have a read on your style of play, you mentioned playing tight, you sound like an ABC tag player to me. Late tourny play is the most challenging time of the game, all the donks have left the building and the cream will rise, this is when you need to have a good read on your opponents as they will have a good read on you. I play solid ABC poker until late, then it is time to play real poker, why not bluff at a pot from early position, if you have a tight image your opponents will most often put you on AA or KK.

The best players play more than the best hands (sweet 16), they play all hands well. They play the cards they have, the board and the opponent, if they played to a formula they would soon get found out by the other quality players they face and lose their bankroll.

I hope i do not offend, none is intended, i am not being critical just conversational

Hey,

I was very bad at heads up and several times got to final table and in a heads up situation. Then, realized that I did not have a clue how to play heads up, and needed some improvement.

So, in searching around and asking some of my web site poker player friends, one sent me the following strategy which I have used with success.

Since, I have won most many heads up plays:

Good luck to you and you probable can improve on this as you go along. But, it is a start and will give you an idea of the general concept. A good heads up player will "eat you alive" if you dont improve your HU skills:


Heads Up Hands:

Any Pocket Pair
Any Ace
Any King
Any two cards 9 or higher
Any suited connectors 6 high or higher.

If you are the small blind and you have one of the Heads up Hands, raise 4 to 5 times the BB.

Folding at least 50% of the time from the big blind. This will help establish a "tight" image that you can use to your advantage when you do raise.

Post flop. Hit and get. If you hit something, bet it aggressively. It doesn't matter if it is 3rd pair. BET.
If you miss, bet at least the pot as a continuation bet If you are in the big blind.

* small blind just calls - you want to raise 4 to 5 BB with any two cards about 75% of the time. You hand to just check about 25% of the time. The way I kind of randomize this is if both my cards are red, then I just check. Any thing else, I raise.

Again aggressive post flop play. If you were the raiser begin called, make the continuation bet. If you happen to hit anything, then make 'em pay.

* Small blind raises - reraise with your "Heads Up Hands". Make the reraise 4 to 5 times the pot. Other hands fold, but be careful not to do this to often. If you see a pattern developing where your opponent is constantly raising your BB, then you need to change this up and go with the 75%/25% any two cards kind of strategy.





GL again.

I agree, you have to dominate your opponent. If he takes the lead then dont get frustrated and on tilt, just control your emotional feelings. I know that it might be hard to see your opponent raise 20x times row and you fold, but you CANT Fold every second hand or fold to cont. bet on the flop. If you hit you want to trap him(if your image is usual weak/tight player, that means u call preflop and give it up easily afterflop). If your opponent doesnt take the lead, then you have to take it and make him feel bad and fold. But be afraid when that weak/tight player flat calls on board with no draws then you really should slow down, but make your opponents pay for their draws and play agressive. Dont give away easy pots.

Well i'm very excited with all the opinions in this thread, please keep posting and mange: i'm going to try your style to see how it works, i'll tell you later.

when you have an ace as a hole card you will usually be in a dominant position pre flop. You should then raise/re-raise strong to see what the opponent's reaction will be
Even if you are not getting the best of cards you must always try to mix up your play to throw your opponent off your scent. Raise with 9-4 suited. Call with A-3 offsuit. This way your opponent cannot pick up a good betting pattern from you
Do not go over board going all-in. This is like leaving your hand up to fate.

No offense taken, dvd. But my strategy does work most of the time. And, yes, I do get cught with a bad hand from time to time. But you are looking at it in a one game situation, whereas I'm looking at it over the long run. If I do get caught and take second place, I'm still up; just not as much. But most of the time my opponents do not adjust correctly, or overadjust and start going all in every hand. In that situation, I'm just looking for for an ace/high kicker.

But I would not play this strategy if 1st got paid 100% and 2nd got 0%. I would have to adopt a tighter style.

Well timed agression is the key to playing heads up. Over agressive play will get you burnt most of the time. However, you can not go into a hole and play only the top ten starting hands. Change up your style and try to keep your opponent off balance is the key.

you hear a lot of people say mix it up. well i did in the past. I'm not like a superstar heads up but you can look it up on opr around end of july i went like 19-3 or something in 22 str8 heads up games. but, my key now is repetition...if i have a hand im going to play im raising the pot. same pot raise everytime. So if he limps im in bb with q10 of hearts..i pot raise. no matter the flop if he checks or im to act first i usually bet 2/3rds of the pot. The key here is never chasing him. You always want to be putting pressure on him. I even want him to win some hands from me in the beggining thinking i'm bluffing a lot. because when i get AA i make that same Pot raise and after i've done it so long i get no respect until he comes over the top. and were all in. Catching some cards dont hurt either. Good luck

that really good info for heads up it easier to understand. is there heads up book for tourneys and cash games

I won my first HU!!!!!! It was in a 0.10 sitngo and i won 0.48, It was not a big archievement because i had 7.000 chips and my rival 1.200, but all the same is my first sitngo win and i'm enjoing it. I still need to practice a lot more, but it is a start anyway.

one thing i noticed about heads up is u should bet with MEDIUM cards even if thay reraise u u need to call unles your opponet is also a very agressive player than u should take a breath b4 u go all in

Congrats on your win! Now, just keep up the good work and you will be doing this all the time.

you really need to change the way you play at this point, obviously you're good to make it there often but its not about survival and waiting anymore, you really have to pick up the aggression and expand the number of hands you're seeing...what wasn't a good hand with 9 players all the sudden becomes much better...suited connectors are much more viable than a pocket pair now