Heads up poker
 

I want to develop my heads up game as much as possible.

Anybody got any suggestions? Good posts, books, articles, practice ideas, anything at all.

A coach for a reasonable rate or even a database of heads up hands... something? come on...

-blake

Re: Heads up poker
 

Heads up big bet poker has a whole lot to do with feel. Figuring out what ways opponents are likely to play which hands, when your opponent is steaming (very common HU), understanding hand values in different situations, etc.

You have to implement all sorts of non-standard plays into your game for metagame purposes to protect yourself from giving your hand away in the future (perhaps check/raising the flop with a very strong hand, and then checking the turn).

The single most helpful thing for me was playing the heads up matches on Stars. At the $5-$20 level the play is absolutely terrible and any non-experienced NL player should be able to beat it easily. Once you hit the $50s on up to the $100s, $200s (never played higher than that), you'll run into some solid and tricky opponents.

If you find yourself able to crush the competition in these matches, you should have a large edge in any impromptu side game head up action, where your opponent is likely to have very limited experience.

Re: Heads up poker
 

"I want to develop my heads up game as much as possible.

Anybody got any suggestions? Good posts, books, articles, practice ideas, anything at all.

A coach for a reasonable rate or even a database of heads up hands... something? come on..."

I Agree. Ultimately, the only way to master the game, is heads-up.....any computer software?
i suppose the problem is, it is so player dependent.

Re: Heads up poker
 

IMO the stars HU sngs do not correlate to HU cash game play. (Maybe the 10/20 or 15/30 blind level) Dont get me wrong, I love them, but a good HU snger does not make one a good HU cash game player.

Re: Heads up poker
 

there have been a few HU posts, truth, I think neon has posted one or two relatively recently. If you search (Maybe i will, this topic suddenly interests me alot) there have been some. (unfortunately not enough)

Re: Heads up poker
 

The 10/20, 15/30 level is 90%+ of the play.

Re: Heads up poker *DELETED*
 

Post deleted by AZK

Re: Heads up poker
 

Trying to fix them here.

#1
#2
#3
#4

The last one is what messed them up.

Re: Heads up poker
 

you probably wont get much from the guys who play alot of 5/10 or higher HU and SH'd.

Re: Heads up poker
 

If anybody wants to play some low stakes (like as low as we can find .1-.2? dunno) heads up and work on coaching each other along, drop me a pm. Same thing for limit holdem.


-blake

Re: Heads up poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
you probably wont get much from the guys who play alot of 5/10 or higher HU and SH'd.

[/ QUOTE ]

whys that?

Re: Heads up poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
I want to develop my heads up game as much as possible.

[/ QUOTE ]

One should only play heads up against a weak passive opponent. Unless you find one of these types there really is no other reason to play headsup other than for ego purposes. If you find an opponent of this ilk do nothing to give him cause to change his style. Play every hand, be semi but not overly aggressive. You will eventually take all of his money. No other advice other than to avoid playing against all other styles, when playing headsup, is necessary.

Vince

Re: Heads up poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
you probably wont get much from the guys who play alot of 5/10 or higher HU and SH'd.

[/ QUOTE ]

whys that?

[/ QUOTE ]\

I would love nothing more in this thread than for yeti, KKF, or other 2+2ers to divulge their 3-4 handed tactics and "secrets".

i play against these guys too much every day/week to go into detail about that stuff.

Re: Heads up poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I want to develop my heads up game as much as possible.

[/ QUOTE ]

One should only play heads up against a weak passive opponent. Unless you find one of these types there really is no other reason to play headsup other than for ego purposes. If you find an opponent of this ilk do nothing to give him cause to change his style. Play every hand, be semi but not overly aggressive. You will eventually take all of his money. No other advice other than to avoid playing against all other styles, when playing headsup, is necessary.

Vince

[/ QUOTE ]

This is dumb. There are many aggressive to maniacal styles that are very profitable to play against.

The players to watch out for are extremely aggressive, especially with position, and they are great hand readers. They will put you in a spot where it's always you making the commitment decision. It will be very difficult to read their hands without putting a lot of chips in play, and they won't pay off your good hands because they've forced you to play a reactive, easily readable game. They will relentlessly value bet when you go into call down mode, they will relentlessly bluff you after you get burned calling down too much, and they will make great calls when you crumble and start bluffing too much, and in poor spots. They have played heads up enough to know counterstrategies for many styles of play, and they will vary their play based on your reactions such that they are always a couple steps ahead.

Re: Heads up poker
 

great post sir

Re: Heads up poker
 

just focus on the UB blind structure, it creates more action.

Re: Heads up poker
 

great post. you should also reads james282's post abut heads up limit that he made in the cantseeu thread. that info is relative to NL poker also.

Re: Heads up poker
 

I've never played on UB, whats the structure? sorry for being ignorant......

Re: Heads up poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
I've never played on UB, whats the structure? sorry for being ignorant......

[/ QUOTE ]

SB has the button.

So BB acts first postflop.

Re: Heads up poker
 

[ QUOTE ]

SB has the button.

So BB acts first postflop.

[/ QUOTE ]


thats how heads up always is anyway.....

Re: Heads up poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

SB has the button.

So BB acts first postflop.

[/ QUOTE ]


thats how heads up always is anyway.....

[/ QUOTE ]
not on party or stars, that's why the question was asked

Re: Heads up poker
 

lol i was the one who initially asked this question...and in every major tournament(live) thats how it is, i wonder why party+stars differ....ewww...the small blind doesn't have very much incentive to play with the button being the BB...

Re: Heads up poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

SB has the button.

So BB acts first postflop.

[/ QUOTE ]


thats how heads up always is anyway.....

[/ QUOTE ]
not on party or stars, that's why the question was asked

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you sure about Stars? I'm certain they use the "correct" format in tournies at least, and I was pretty sure that ring games were the same. But, I have not played there recently.