Heads up part 2
Raise preflop?
If you find that your raises aren’t being called, you should continue to raise, but raise only with really useless hands like 24o, and mediocre hands like K4. You should limp with hands like KQ and AK that are liable to flop strong hands. Conversely if your raises are being called you should be more inclined to raise only with solid hands, there is no need to slow play big pairs.
Choose the right amount for your raise
How much to raise depends on a number of factors. You should raise more out of position, because you are going to be at a disadvantage for the rest of the hand if you are called. The more you get in preflop the less of a disadvantage you are at, and the bigger chance there is of the hand being ended preflop. Raising to 3bb in position, and 4bb out of position is fairly standard. If the stacks are such that when you raise you commit yourself, you should often just push anyway to increase your folding equity.
NO FEAR!
Don’t be afraid to raise with some funky hands heads up, the fact that its heads up means that about half the time your opponent, (who is the only opponent!) will have no pair on the flop. Also under the right circumstances you should reraise all in with a hand that you know is definitely not best. Before you do this you need to make sure that your opponent is capable of folding a marginal hand, and the stacks are big enough so that he isn’t priced in.
Mix up your play
When out of position, especially after having established your tight credentials, you have to get in the habit of betting out with any pair, and from time to time with nothing as well. Once you check the flop it’s very hard to win the hand if you don’t have a strong hand out of position. When you are in position you should aim to vary your play as much as possible. If you flop an ace you should sometimes bet the flop, sometimes wait to the turn and sometimes wait to the river before betting. Mixing up your play like this makes it very hard for your opponent to get an accurate read on your play.
Be wary against tight opponent’s show of strength
Be careful not to overvalue your hand, especially against a tight opponent. If you check raise an ace high flop with A5 against a tight opponent and he comes over the top again, then assuming you haven’t priced yourself in you should fold.
Calling is often the better option in heads up
In many situations calling is preferable to raising. In the hand mentioned previously, flat calling might have induced your opponent to keep value betting his 2nd best hand, or to continue bluffing. Raising just inhibits him from bluffing and lets him get away from 2nd best hands too easily. When you are up against only 1 opponent you don’t need to worry being outdrawn as much as normal.
