You’ve finally made it! You’ve played Texas Hold’em for hours and hours, dodged some scary all ins, made some big moves and gotten that coveted pot. Now you are sitting at the short handed table heads up, ready to rake in the big one. This is a game of skill, strategy and luck. The chips are in and you are ready to win. But first you need to improve your heads up poker play. Here are some tips to improve your heads up Texas Hold’em poker play.
- First you need to improve your reads. You need to be able to read your opponent well in order to make decisions. Every action your opponent makes at the poker table has a purpose. Second, you need to know a little about the hand you are playing. Are you heads up poker ready? Are you playing heads up poker correctly? If you aren’t, try moving up to stakes two and three.
- Don’t be afraid to be aggressive. Dewabet is all about making money and the more money you make, the better. Almost all players over think this sometimes and will fold if they think they are ahead. They think they are unstoppable and lose big pots to the hands that should win them. Don’t be afraid, be aggressive.
- Identify the skills of your opponent and use them against them. When you know your opponent is weak, you can counter their play. Take mental note of their poker tells, and play around them. Now this is an extremely important point. If you think your opponent is weak, play around them. Don’t think your hand is weak, don’t worry about losing chips, what are you going to do, etc. Just attack them with your strong hands.
- Get your chips ready to move. If you are really tight and play only the best hands, you will collect more blinds and raises. When you get your chips, you really need to push them all in. Be aggressive and play the bets.
- Know when to fold and when to stay in. I think this is the best and worst thing to do. It’s important to know when you should call it a day and take your hand. It’s also important to know when you should roller the table and burn everyone. Know when to call it quits and take a break. Knowing when to do these things will make your Texas Hold’em game a lot better.
- Do you have the mindset to be a winner? Can you do it? If you have that personality that you need to win, you are going to need to focus and dedicate yourself to the game. Sometimes you will lose and that’s OK. Bad beats happen. You win and you are happy. If you are determined to win and you really feel like pushing full steam ahead, you can and you should.
- Are you really, truly committed to becoming a better poker player? Sometimes I believe I have and then I forget. Then I realize I have and try to be important about it. When I’m 50/50, I will have many 50/50 times in a row about whether I am improving or not. But each time I remind myself that I am and follow through, I will end up losing or pushing even more to get ahead.
- How much are you willing to invest in your poker game and how much can you handle to lose in the process? You need to be in control of your own game. Read my other articles on improving your poker game to find how to really cut losing loses and add to your profits.
- How much capital can you afford to lose in the process? You need to be in control of your own game. Read my other articles on improving your poker game to find how to really cut loses and add to your profits.
- Repeat in 5 minutes or less, perfect the play, make 100% sure you can do it over and over and over again before you sit down at the table.