What kind of strategy do you guys use when playing Heads Up?

[Zybomb]

This is highly dependant on my opponent, if I believe I am a better player than him, his aggression, and my read on him.

Some players like to stick to a basic strategy that works for them -- generally preflop they are either small pot oriented or large pot oriented.

This means on the button, some players like to raise often (with anything) and CB a lot.

Other players like to limp in, see cheap flops and then use solid post flop play to win the bigger ones and lose the small ones

This may be a leak in my HU game, but I allow my opponent to set the pace. Im naturally more comfortable with a lot more limping, seeing cheap flops, having pots be small, and using my small edges I (hopefully) have to grind out some chips. So if my opponent does not go raise crazy or ultra aggro, I stay passive preflop for the most part. I raise my good hands ("good" being a far larger range than "good" at a full table) and limp with fair hands (and trash). With trash hands, Im more likely to raise (since they play so poorly post flop). I'll also mix in raises and call with ultra premium hands (QQ-AA). If I play it slow one street though, I play it fast the next.

I believe the fact that I'm more likely to raise with a agrbage hand than limp, takes away the information Im giving away when raising most of my good hands. When I limp, it's observant players will put me on a medium strength hand (if they pick up on my strategy), but I'll mix in limps with AJ AQ and medium pairs enough to keep them guessing.

If my opponent is in aggressive mode however, I have to adapt. If he's raising on the button 2 out of 3 times, Im playing back at him 1 out of those 2 (either by reraising preflop, or calling then bluff raising the flop/calling the flop with intentions on stealing on the turn) unless of course I feel it's a bad spot.
In addition Im raising a lot more on my button, and Im valuing hands more as well.

Since I think (correctly or incorrectly) that I tend to be a better player than my opponent more often than not, that is the reason I prefer a slower paced game with small pots and more flops... it gives him more opportunities to make a mistake and me more opportunities to capitalize on them. It gives him more chances to catch a hand, overvalue it and then pay me off. If my opponent is aggressive however this strategy will not work, as I will just be run over (If he raises every button then bets every flop, if I don't play back Im easily losing this match)

I try and put my opponents on hands, and get a feel for the type of player he is very early in the contest (how will he play draws, how often will he check 3 times with a hand he knows cant win a showdown, what kind of calls is he making and with what strength of hands, is he careful, reckless, does he overvalue hands, can he easily be moved off hands with a big bet, how does he bet his monsters, his bluffs etc)

I rarely fold preflop from the SB unless the BB often raises, in that case Im folding the bottom percentage of my hands 50% of the time (and raising the other 50%)

Drawing hands like small pairs and suited connectors/1 gappers all go down in value.... big cards (KJfor exaple) go up in value.

When all in, remember an unplayable hand with a big card i sbetter than a playable hand with medium cards. For example, K7 is stronger than JsTs, simply because of high card value, although K7 is not normally a playable hand and JTs normally is.

This is by no means a complete strategy or discussion on the topic -- but it's a little to get you started....Im sure some of the better HU players on this forum may be able to add more

[Talking Poker]

I want to play you Heads Up, Zybomb.

Name the stakes. It should be fun, and may make for some good railing.

I'd say we could play Heads Up at one of the league events, but that would require you to score points, which you seem to be allergic to this time around.

[Zybomb]

You'd kill me

oh I forgot...you can't seem to beat ANY forum members HU

As for your last jab , after my dominating performance last league I figured I'd give some others a shot

The fact that I've only played in like 3 events thus far (since my work schedule has increased making me unavailable for a lot of these events) doesn't help matters though

Maybe later in the week we can get a nice HU match goin on Stars or somewhere

[lightfungus]

He definately has my number, thats for sure.

[Talking Poker]

Yeah, I do ok. That little fluke came to an abrupt end when I rolled through our furst big HU tourney on Stars and then finished second in the next one.

I just needed to realize I was giving you guys way too much credit and had to dumb down my game a bit.

[lightfungus]

I guess thats funny.

[ashmc2]

I'm not much of a HU player. But I stop and go, stop and go. I also raise often preflop. If they are passive I always raise PF. 1 big leak I have is putting too much stake in 2nd pair heads up. later.

[Talking Poker]

All this HU talk got me in the mood. I took a run at these last year and did pretty well with them (I never did finish my 100 match sample though - maybe I should do that now). Anyway, I played one for the first time in 5 months just now.

Here's how it ended... I feel like it should be OBVIOUS what I had, but I guess not. I can't BELIEVE he called this all in:

-----
PokerStars Game #5324739671: Tournament #26844226, $100+$5 Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level I (10/20) - 2006/06/21 - 21:09:55 (ET)
Table '26844226 1' 2-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Rogue23 (1870 in chips)
Seat 2: Chartez (1130 in chips)
Rogue23: posts small blind 10
Chartez: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Rogue23 [Ac As]
Rogue23: calls 10
Chartez: raises 60 to 80
Rogue23: raises 95 to 175
Chartez: calls 95
*** FLOP *** [Kh Jc Jd]
Chartez: bets 220
Rogue23: raises 1475 to 1695 and is all-in
Chartez: calls 735 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [Kh Jc Jd] [Th]
*** RIVER *** [Kh Jc Jd Th] [7d]
Rogue23 said, "nice call" <--- heh.
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Chartez: shows [8c 8d] (two pair, Jacks and Eights)
Rogue23: shows [Ac As] (two pair, Aces and Jacks)
Rogue23 collected 2260 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2260 | Rake 0
Board [Kh Jc Jd Th 7d]
Seat 1: Rogue23 (button) (small blind) showed [Ac As] and won (2260) with two pair, Aces and Jacks
Seat 2: Chartez (big blind) showed [8c 8d] and lost with two pair, Jacks and Eights

[sjay2k]

Make small/mid sized bluffs on the turn and river at the beginning. Then after you get caught once or twice, stop bluffing and start overbetting your made hands.