Texas Holdem Heads Up Strategy

Texas Hold ‘em is by far one of the most popular and exciting variations of poker. On one hand, this is great news for Hold ‘em players because it means you can always find a good sized game. On the other hand, it also means that the field of players is larger and that there are more serious players chasing the big payouts from Texas Hold ‘em tournaments.

If you feel like you can hold your own in the game, there is no reason not to give it a try, but if it turns out you’re as good as you’ve always bragged you are then you need to be prepared to play heads up.

Heads up poker refers to a game between just two players. While some tournaments are structured around one-on-one competition, it is more common that you will see this kind of game at the final table of regular tournaments. Successful heads up playing strategies differ significantly from traditional strategies designed for full table play. While it will take many other strategies to get you through the tournament to heads up, you can’t expect to cruise by on the same playing style when first place is on the line.

In some tournaments, playing good heads up poker can mean the difference between a Championship title and…well, nothing. It can also mean thousands (in rare cases even millions) of dollars more in prize money. In other words, if you are at the final table a lot more is at stake than a placing.

Heads Up Tips

The most important distinction a player can make in a Texas Hold ‘em tournament is between their regular playing style and their heads up style. You simply cannot play heads up the same way as a full table and win. Tight players especially are at a disadvantage in heads up where waiting out their hands is no longer an option.

Aggressive players have fewer changes to make, if any, and on the whole are better suited for heads up than tight players. In a tournament, the fewer players remaining at your table, the larger the importance of each hand. By the end of the tournament, a single hand can decide your fate.

A good example of how playing strategies change in head up is a weak starting hand like a King Ten. At a full table a King Ten is incredibly vulnerable and better left on the table, but in heads up these cards are actually quite good. Folding them is wasting them as the odds of your opponent getting something better are extremely low. Always remember that the key to doing well in heads up is playing aggressively; the blinds are high at this point, so every win is a significant one.

Playing Heads Up Aggressively

It can’t be repeated enough. Despite the obvious advantages of being aggressive with only one other player in the game, some players still make the mistake of playing conservatively. By letting the other player call the shots, you are basically giving away your chips (and your shot at first place). Sure you should still play smart, but hands that were risky at a full table are much more promising now, and chances are if you wait for a monster hand you’ll lose your chips to the blinds before it comes.

Raise before the flop and continue betting aggressively after it if you’ve got a decent hand. Because of the importance of these final hands, your opponent is unlikely to take an unnecessary chance unless they also have a good hand, which means you can slowly add their stack to yours just by collecting their blinds.

One heads up hazard is when you are playing another aggressive player. Don’t back down, but choose your big bets wisely. With a middling hand call them on their bets, but with a good one raise and re-raise them.

The key to winning heads up is playing aggressively and consistently. Nine times out of ten the more aggressive heads up player wins just because the other player folds. Because of the size of the blinds at this point in the game every pot is big and every win is valuable.

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