Whether an opponent is playing conservative or electing to double the big blind, implementing a three big blind open raise fits the model of an aggressive head-up strategy. If an opponent is conservative, a player should consider an aggressive approach as to what cards to play pre-flop.Īggressive heads-up play includes open raising, even implementing a bet size of three times the big blind with any ace or face. Conservative players elect to fold small blinds and wait for an ace or face card before playing. Some poker players prefer to shove on any cards while others raise the blinds no matter the hole card combination.

When heads-up against an opponent, a poker player must rewire the ideology on what hands are playable.Ĭonnected off-suit cards become playable hands pre-flop, while J♦️3♣️ or 9♦️4♣️ become candidates for play depending on the opponent and current chip stack.Ī good heads-up poker player will assess the opponents mindset. It is estimated to lose more than 50% of the time to any other hand without even knowing your opponents hole cards. One hand a player should never consider betting pre-flop at the beginning stages of a poker tournament is J♦️3♣️. One of the biggest changes in a heads-up situation is the aggressive play of your hole cards.

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