Good Advice from HU article at NBC Sports?

[Mr.JR]

I thought so. Basic ideas posters here understand, yet still good for the most part; disagree with a few statements.

Seven tips to winning at Heads Up
By Dan Gati

Many online players are familiar with poker games that involve 10 people. You sit around and wait for premium hands like aces or kings and go to work. When you play an opponent heads-up, you can’t wait around for the best cards.

Psychology, knowing your opponent, and winning with marginal hands are all key components to successfully defeating an opponent heads-up. Of course, that’s all easier said than done.

Heads-up requires nerves of steel and an ability to look inside an opponent’s soul to determine if they’re bluffing you with 2-7 or if they have the nuts.

So, how do you go about becoming a better heads-up player? Here are seven tips to consider before embarking on your next heads-up foray, whether that be against your best friend, against an online opponent at NBCheadsup.com

Don’t wait around for top hands
This cannot be stressed enough. If you wait around for big pairs or for ace-king, an aggressive opponent will take advantage of your passiveness and you will get blinded away. You have to be willing to take some chances.

Be the aggressor
This is true in all poker, but for many novices, aggression is the hardest skill to pick up. While some pros play a more passive style, setting traps for their opponents, beginners should focus on betting their good hands and not committing too many chips when they have mediocre hands.

Because your opponent will frequently think you’re bluffing, betting aggressively when you are strong will likely be beneficial to you in the long run.

Study your opponent carefully during the match
When you play in a full ring game, a lot of decisions are made for you based on pot odds (the amount of money already in the pot vs. how much you have to put in to either win or have a chance to win the pot) or the dynamic at the table.

When playing heads-up, the way an opponent bets or carries himself is far more meaningful. If you can just pick up one small tell on your opponent, you’ll be well on your way to victory.

Don’t commit too many chips too early
If you think you’re a better player than your opponent, you shouldn’t take as many risks as you might take in a no-limit tournament with hundreds of players. In a big tournament, even if you’re the best player, your edge still isn’t that great.

In a heads-up match, if you think you have an advantage, use it. In most blind structures, you’ll have some time to gauge your opponent’s playing style and figure out the best way to beat him or her.

Not all opponents play the same style
This goes hand-in-hand with tip No. 4. If you assume every opponent is passive and that you can run all over him or her, you’ll be in a lot of trouble. Since advance scouting is often impossible in poker, it is imperative for you to take time in the beginning of your match to analyze your opponent’s style. Based on your analysis, you must adjust your play accordingly.

There is rarely a “right” way to play poker. Figuring out your opponent’s playing style will make your decisions throughout the match that much easier.

If you flop middle pair and your opponent bets, don’t assume you’re beat
Of course, this is true in full-ring games as well, but it’s even more applicable in heads-up poker. Opponents are much more willing to bluff, and middle pair against one opponent can be a monster hand.

Does that mean you should be in every hand if you hit just a small piece of the flop? Not necessarily. Just because you’re playing heads-up doesn’t mean that you should disregard some of poker’s fundamentals. Analyze the texture of the board and how your opponent bets. That will give you a good idea of whether you middle pair is the best hand or not.

Unless your opponent is easily rattled, don’t show your cards after a hand
This maxim is good advice for the beginner player. Why? Because more often than not, if you’re playing someone better than you, he or she will get a lot of information from your revealed cards.

Bragging or gloating after a great bluff feels good in the moment, but when your opponent can use that same betting pattern to detect your bluff, you won’t be so happy. Let the pros try to put their opponents on tilt by showing a big bluff. Just stick to fundamentals and solid poker and you’re well on your way to success in heads-up poker.

http://www.nbcsports.com/poker/669968/detail.html

[freekobe]

Thought this was an interesting article with some really good points. Wonder what you disagreed with....

[kapw7]

[ QUOTE ]
Heads-up requires (nerves of steel and) an ability to look inside an opponent’s soul to determine if they’re bluffing you with 2-7 or if they have the nuts.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lol.

[Bubbles]

And he gets paid to write [censored] like this?

[derosnec]

good thing i have nerves of steel.

allow me to write a HU article. here it is:

99% of opponents are retarded monkeys who will pay off good hands.

[omgwtfnoway]

the other 1% are still retarded tho, just not monkeys. amirite?

[Leader]

[ QUOTE ]
Many online players are familiar with poker games that involve 10 people. You sit around and wait for premium hands like aces or kings and go to work.

[/ QUOTE ]

I never new NL was so simple...