by Hillary LaClair, Senior Editor
Heads-up poker, especially in an online poker room, is what tells a good player from a bad. In a game in which 8 players are seated at a table, luck plays a big part in the outcome. As players are gradually eliminated, the element of chance becomes less of a factor, and skill comes into play. In a game of heads-up, the better player will consistently win, and the weaker player will be thrown on a tilt after hours of psychological beatings.
Once you and one other opponent have picked off every player, you will begin battling for ego, integrity and reverence as well as the pot. It’s quite easy to lose your wits in this form of play. At this point, you’re emotionally drained with a swelled head. A heads-up victory gives you more satisfaction and bragging rights than a full-table cash game. So how can you take this guy out?
Aggression. Aggressive play is instrumental in any poker game and is crucial in heads-up. Every hand that you play, and every strategy that you use will in some way be linked to the amount of aggression you use. Unlike before, you will be forced to put in blinds on every hand, and folding will quickly lose you your entire stack of chips. Heads-up almost becomes a game of Chicken while two opponents fight to see who can psyche the other out. At this point, you should be able to read players well enough to tell whether or not this guy is a strictly aggressive player, or if he actually has a better hand than you. If he is the former, you will have to be able to determine whether or not a greater show of agro will force him to back down.
Ideally, when you become the aggressor in any heads-up match, you will have your opponent feeling completely out of control of the situation. This will force them to wait for a monster hand before they will play you, and so you can them assume any show of strength means you should fold. Intimidation in poker is the most powerful tool you can use. Some players choose to use physical scare tactics; however I find this to be counterproductive. Making physical gestures at your opponent shows them that you need them to fold. It’s like waving a red flag, and it keeps you from obtaining a higher pot. I find that large pre-flop bets work well, although they are risky.
Don’t Muck. I don’t ever muck my cards. There are many professionals that feel this is a weak play, but I disagree. If you have to muck, it’s because you’ve been beaten. I usually assume that if my opponent has mucked his cards, he bluffed and was badly beaten. Most people assume the same, and so mucking does you no good. Additionally, showing your cards is a display of courage. It shows that you’re not just playing the cards, you’re the aggressor. Later in the game, this strategy can be used to let your opponent think he’s winning, without making it obvious that you’re setting a trap for him.
Additionally, if you yourself have shown signs that you are pushing only because you are trying to outdo him, and not because you have a good hand, you’re going to get taken down. Aggressiveness for the sake of it takes the strategy out of the game, and shows you are the weaker player. Sometimes, the best strategy against the established aggressor is to become a “calling station.” This is not something that will work well at a full table, but can be quite handy in heads-up.
Calling. When you’re successful in reading your opponent, and are sure your hand is better, let him see the turn and the river. This can lead him to believe that you are chasing a hand and in turn he will add more to the pot. Many times, he will raise the pot substantially in an attempt to make you fold, which comes in handy when you know your hand is better. If this behavior is continued, it will show your opponent that you will not be bluffed, putting you in control.
1 | 2 | next
