Heads Up Texas Holdem Tips: Blinds and High cards

US players are welcome

Heads up Texas Holdem games are a bit different and require players who possess complete knowledge and how to compete against only a single opponent. The dynamics change completely from a table of nine to ten player, only making winning a little more difficult.

The prime factor is the blind size, along with complete understanding of the position of the high cards. Let’s look at some of these:

Size of Blind

When the game has two standing players left, they often are obliged to push everything in almost all of the hands. One explanation to this is that there is a 10% increased chance of the blind occurring on the players chip stack.

The player could have 11,000 chips while the other could hold 9,000 chips and the blind could be at 600/1200. This could risk a blind and both players might have to move all of it in. If your stack of chips is much smaller than the blinds, then it makes more sense moving it all in, if there is a hand or pair with an ace. This will put the player in the forefront of a flop.

Even if a player has two high cards, they can move most of their chips in, if your hands are as low as J-10. As a matter of fact if the chip stack is less or five times the big blind it is no fault of yours if you move all in and you can have any starting hand to do so. In case you don’t have that many chips, you will need to win some.

However if the blind is small as compared to the chip stack the game is entirely different. If the player has 11,000 chips while the other has chips that are of 9,000 value and blinds at 22/400, then the player needn’t wait for better hands to make a move in. The chip stack won’t be eaten by the blinds and they can follow the suggestion in high cards and the position.

High Cards

High cards in heads up is like having cards like A-K, and these can grip a full table and prove to be much stronger in any heads up play. It is similar for big pairs. You can re-raise if you have hands like J-J, since your opponent will possibly not have a hand that can beat it.

The reason being that there are only two players that the dealer has to deal two hole cards to. If it is a full table, the dealer would be doing the same, but for 9-10 players. It is basically simple to understand, that since there are more cards to be dealt, the probability of you getting stronger hands is evident.

Although that is true, you needn’t be too aggressive in your game. With a J-20 hand it is much easier to play a K-2 after a flop. And if waiting for a flop it is advisable to have two high cards rather than one high and one low card.

This is so that your kicker is strong and that you do away with having one low and one high card.

Position

When playing the game, it is essential to play as many hands as possible especially when you’re the last to play. This position is great especially during a heads up game, as it makes you know what your opponent’s moves are, and you can base your move on that. This strategy should help you win money or not lose all of it.

Keeping a great winning average in Texas Holdem is more important than having a great losing average. For this a player has to develop a strategy that is consistent and once done he will be in an advantageous position.

Also recommended:

1. Heads up Holdem Tips
2. Heads up Texas Holdem Strategies
3. Omaha High Low Poker Tips
4. No-Limit Texas Holdem: what cards can be considered good ones?
5. Playing the Blinds in Texas Holdem poker