Heads up poker

[dirty dens]

Anyone help?

I'm going to Barcalona next week to play in a heads up tourney but its not a game I play often.

Anyone got any tips?

Or knows any good sites that would point me in the rite direction?

Any help would be appriecated.

[Nade]

After a barren spell i've started to play HU a lot recently with excellent results up to $5 with streaks of 5 and over numerous times so i regard myself quite good at the game.

It's hard to pin-point exact strategies i use in a game as mainly i go on gut instinct and how the opposition is playing rather then have a clear defined plan. However, i like to keep it tight, do not be afraid to fold hands or go behind in a game as there's plenty of opportunity to come back. If you can get a good read on your opponent i.e. set plays they make then you're in a great position.

For example tonight in a hand we limped to the flop, i put in a minimum raise with nothing, they called, again i minimum raise with nothing on the turn they call again, on the river i check, they bet 5 times the blind and i had nothing but was curious to see what they had so i called and they had the second pair and they see i have nothing. The very next hand i hit top pair on the flop with a high kicker, but minimum bet the flop again just like the hand before and they call, the turn is a rag, i minimum bet again, called again but on the river i push them all in with my top pair after my minimum raises just as the hand before where i had nothing they must have thought i was bluffing so called, they had one of the bottom pairs and i won the HU.

Now that's one way to work a situation but of course it all depends on the player your up against. Aggressive players are great to play against as one time you will hit the nuts and clear them out. Overall though i'd say go with your gut on the situations that arise and you'll be ok. I play on the ipoker server, Titan/Paddypower as Nade27/27Nade so give me a shout if you want a few HU on there!

GL with the tourn

And BTW don't listen to anything that Crouch Potato geezer has to say about HU he just got lucky after i tired out yesterday (Was 3-0 up v him, lost 5-3!)

[AJ]

Agression is the key HU.

Never call a bet, always raise or fold. You've got to ask him a question every time.

[GotaFancy?]

Well done dens - enjoy Barcelona

Think you can practice SnG HU on most sites - I would suggest you have a weekend of non stop practice before going if you can!!!

Whilst I agree with AJ that aggression is important, deep stacked HU is a bit trickier and there are times to be passive - over aggression (when deep stacked)can cause you problems too....

If I were playing, and up against a pro, it MIGHT be tempting to go all in every hand He will eventually call with AA and my random hand will be 15% to outdraw him!!! That's probably greater than the equity I'd have through playing lots of small pots with him!! (further, assuming blinds are timed and not every x hands, then I would try and take as much time over every hand as I could to minimise the amount of time he has to wait for aces .... if he calls me with hands other than aces, my equity increases!!!) This would of course diminish the experience a bit and remove the poker from the event!!!

[dirty dens]

Top stuff lads.

I'm away to practice now.

Thanks again

[Nade]

Originally Posted by AJ

Agression is the key HU.

Never call a bet, always raise or fold. You've got to ask him a question every time.

I have to disagree, although it's good to 'ask him a question' if you limp then they are none the wiser over what you have and you can easily hit a boat on the flop with 5,2 who knows? I get raised constantly by my opponents but still call with naff all and most of the time end up winning.

[robilaruk]

you hit the flop only about 30% of the time with 2 random cards - so if you do limp/raise and hit, you have to feel you are still ahead

I would keep my raises fairly standard at the start - say 2-3Bb or so and alternate between continuation betting or not - if the villian continually calls 3BB, make it 4, if he calls 4, either limp or make it 5 - you are always mathematically correct to limp (well as near as dammit), so I would always limp trash and occasionaly a 'better hand' (QJ, A9 etc) to disguise my hand and hopr to hit the flop

be patient, but be aggressive, and feel your oponnent out, choose your spots etc - and know the better end of a 60/40 70/30 bet and be prepared to get you chips in when you have to and hope to not get unlucky

oh - BEST OF LUCK

Damo