Let’s say you’re at a heads up poker game. Knowing poker strategies for heads up play will make this experience a lot easier and more enjoyable. One of the most important things to remember when playing heads up poker is to find a comfortable position. Be sure to find a spot on the table you like. Be sure not to position yourself directly opposite the dealer as this can prevent you from seeing your opponents’ hands.
Sitting too close to the big blind can also be a poker strategy that should be avoided. Way too many players try to steal by sitting so close to the blind they can easily be hit on the flop. Choose a good spot somewhere else. If you happen to be very excited you might get into a hurry and position yourself wrong. A better strategy is to wait a bit and be sure you pick a good spot.
There should be very little strategy during pre-flop play. You should only be playing your hand most of the time. Don’t chase draws, but don’t play anything else. Only play strong hands and, when playing draws, play them both aggressively and defensively. Utilize your size and position to take down pots.
Post-flop, you should either be big blind and big bets or small blind and small bets. Don’t play anything but strong hands for this part of the game. Don’t play drawing hands. You never know when you’re going to hit the flop. There’s no need to play risky hands for this stage as the goal is simply to survive. Take down pots to stay in the game. Play strong starting hands most of the time and, when necessary, play drawing hands. survive the early stages and you’ll be in a good position to take down the game in the middle stages.
In the late stages, you’re going to want to adjust your poker strategy. Now that you’re into the heads up stage you’re playing into a different mindset as far as tactics are concerned. You’re no longer playing legitimately. You’re playing for your chips and only your chips. Anytime you can get your chips in on the current hand, you should do so. Even when you have a poor hand, you’ll win chips. Play aggressively when you have a good hand and play it aggressively when you have nothing.
There’s no shame in folding a hand as the game progresses. You’re either going to win a small pot or lose a big one. You never want to lose a big pot. One of the most exciting things that can happen to you is losing a big pot. It can occur when you have a good hand and scare your opponent off a draw. Or, you might have a mediocre hand and want to make your hand look good. Whatever the scenario, a scare card can be used to steal a pot.
There’s a lot to learn about heads up play. Most of it will depend on the individual situation but there is definitely a wide range of things you can do. You can be conservative and sit back and relax, or you can be aggressive and take risks. You’ll have to develop your own style but there are specific strategies you can follow. The more you play heads up the more you’ll be familiar with the nuances of the game and you’ll be ready to adjust and use those strategies when you’re out there playing a full table.