The most common question I get asked about heads up poker is “When should I discount?”. Or more specifically “When should I not discount?”. The answer to this question is in edicated on specific cards and playing style.
This little fact forms the crux of the heads up poker concept. And to better understand the concept, let’s break it down and take a look at the best times to discount.
When you have a short stack
More often than not, especially at the beginning of a sit and go, you will have a small stack. By small stack, I mean that you have less than ten big blinds. Or if you go in you have less than 5 big blinds. Any time you can get into a heads up situation where the blinds are low and you can get to 50 big blinds, you will have a good chance of winning the most common version of the game: short handed.
This is because generally, most players at this stage will play shove or to shove. They do not want to take a risk, so unless you have a really big hand, sort of like AA, AK, or the nuts, you generally want to stay out of the hand. The only time you should call a bet or raise is if you have a monster.
When you have a small stack
If you have a small stack, you will pretty much always be in a confrontation with one opponent about every 5 hands. You will not see a lot of hands, but you will see some principle of thumb. The first thing to remember is that the small stack will be pushing with any hand. Even if you were folding to a large re-raise, you should call to keep the pressure on your opponents. The main fellas to not raise with are hands that only win huge pots heads up. You are not looking to get all your chips in every situation, just to protect your blind.
When you are a big stack
If you have a big stack, you are in a unique position in the game. Because your opponents will always be trying to hunt you down, you will have an upper hand. You can afford to sit back and play more hands as you have plenty of chips to do so. However, you also need to be wary of getting trapped or limping in. Also, you might want to pick a spot to try to trap an opponent.
There is no right or wrong time to pick a spot, but generally early in the tournament when you have a lot of chips in front of you, you want to extract as many of them as possible. Try to get heads up with just one opponent, and make the play. If you are not confident you can win the majority of the time, use the format to your advantage and pick a spot later.
Late in the tournament
As the blinds and antes increase, as the late game approaches, it isopoly standard to have a big stack. Going into the late game, you want to appear as a beginner. However, you also want to remember that a few reckless calls and some bad beats can quickly lose you a blind or two. In these situations it is recommended that youlikethe way of Edwin S. Lowe. Lowe was a famous all-around poker player who was famous for his amazing aggressive play and his amazing mediumbilt plays.
If you want to add a little finesse to your game, pick up a copy of How To Succeed As A Professional Online Poker Player. By reading this book, you will pick up a lot of tricks already known to you, but you will also learn new ones. This book is written in an ordinary conversational language, which is easy to understand even for a person who has not yet read a book about Bolagila.
Conclusion
Poker is a fun game. It can be played for many hours. If you enjoy playing poker, you will want to continue to play. However, if you want to make a run at a big score, or if you want to have a super-big poker bankroll, you should consider getting a few great tips from a professional. The average poker player cannot and should not hope to become a pro.