Playing Heads-up Poker with the Big Stack

You can enter to Free poker bankroll and start enjoying playing Poker.

Having the big stack is always a good place to be in, and this is more so in heads up Poker, where you are just up against just one opponent. However, there are a number of things that you will have to ponder on with regards to how you should play.

Having the big stack and being the first to act will give you the chance to bluff, raise with marginal hands. Of course, this strategy is quite common in heads up Poker, but your opponent will not know whether you are holding something or not. The fact that he is short stacked is what is going to work against him, making otherwise easy decisions like calling more difficult.

One way you can make it harder for your heads up Poker opponent to determine what you are holding is to look at your cards with approximately the same amount of time. You will see this technique employed by the pros in the televised tournaments. You should try this too; if you take 3 seconds to look at AA, do the same with 27.

With a big stack you will have an advantage even if you are the first to act. Assuming you have a sizeable lead, you can make a large bet, and make your opponent decide whether to call or not. If you are the short stacked, you will think twice about calling, because there is the chance that the big stack is bluffing.

A common mistake that Poker players make when holding the chip lead is playing not to lose. Several players, in trying to protect their stack, end up calling or folding their hands, which causes their lead to erode. Remember, you got the lead by playing aggressive; tightening now will not help.

In heads up Poker, you will basically encounter two types of players; those who get super aggressive when their chips are dwindling, and those that tighten up. With the latter, you can just raise away. With the aggressive players, you will have to play their game too.

You have the lead, so take any decent hand, bet it, and raise the stakes. The moment you let them see that you can be pushed around, the more confident they will be become.

The next time that you are playing heads up Poker, you should always make sure that you exploit every edge that you have, particularly when you have the lead. Having the chip lead is no excuse to play passively; use it to trap your opponent, and you will see him quickly succumb to the pressure and fold.