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 poker 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.

Watch This Shocking FREE Video That Helped Earn This Professional Poker Player $4,157,637 and Become a 2-Time World Poker Tour® Champion.

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 poker 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 poker 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.

The Biggest Mistake Online Poker Players Make Is Not Using This When They Play...Check It Out!

You May Also Like To Read...

Multi-Tabling Pitfalls Part 1...
Tips to protect your poker bankroll: There are many advantages to playing poker online (ease of access, number of games available, multi-tabling, etc) but with those advantages also come danger.&...

Poker Tournament Tips: General Play...
Tournament poker has exploded in popularity over the past 10 years because of the impressive prize money, charismatic professional poker players, celebrities and the introduction of online poker rooms...

Basics of Omaha Holdem Poker...
Over the past few years, Texas Hold ‘em has received a lot of attention from poker fanatics, but another closely related variation is quickly stealing the spotlight: Omaha Hold ‘em (also commonly refe...

Limit vs No Limit Texas Holdem Poker...
There are a lot of different variations of Texas Holdem. Along with the different variations come a lot of different strategies and even some different rules. ...

Tips For Managing Your Poker Bankroll...
One of the first things any amateur poker player needs to learn before playing cash games is a good poker bankroll management strategy. Many beginners think playing to win will suffice, but the truth ...

Comments (0)