A few quick thoughts about heads up no limit [ring]
Playing HU ring NL is one of the more, in my humble opinion, exciting things you can do in poker - every hand has an importance and a pretty large implied value. It can also be one of the more frustrating games to play, especially if your luck or timing is just a little bit off. We’ll deal with some specific strategy issues relating to HU NL play in later articles; in this article I really just want to briefly touch upon some ideas that might help you decide whether or not you want to play it in the first place. Some things to consider:
1) Is it worth the rake? Here I’m primarily talking about online poker, since B&M’s don’t usually micro-rake the way the online sites do. One site i’ve played at rakes .20 for every $4 in the pot! That means if you’re playing HU with 2-4 blinds, just seeing a flop takes .40 off the table. The micro-rake should play into your decision about whether or not to commit to a HU game - basically, it might not be enough to be a little better than your opponent. Think of it this way - if both of you are playing fairly tight, say an average pot of $12 with 2-4 blinds, after just a half hour of play, you can expect almost $30 to be eaten up by the rake. Loose games actually don’t suffer as much as tight ones HU, because the rake is usually capped at $1 and represents a much smaller percentage of the average pot.
2) Are you comfortable with frequent bluffing? Some players just aren’t. When you’re playing HU, you have to pick off pots with frequency to cover blinds and the rake. And when I say bluffing, I mean potting the flop and the turn and sometimes the river with not much of anything - not betting the minimum and hoping your opponent will fold. Weak bluffing is worse than not bluffing at all.
3) Are you comfortable with automatic semi-bluffing? It’s my feeling that you almost are FORCED to bet every draw on the flop and turn, especially when you have position. When I say draws here, I mean your standard straight and flush draws along with gutshots, overcards, low pairs with a redraw, etc. Calling with these hands works sometimes, but if you’re not willing to toss bets and raises out, I think you’re giving away too much about your strength.
4) Are you comfortable with making significant calls with hands that would be clear second bests in full games? If you’re playing full ring NL and a flush makes on the river, it’s easy to fold your two pair when a player in front of you bets pot and there are still players to act behind you. If you’re giving your HU opponent credit for the best hand the board shows every time they bet it, you’re going to be fighting a tremendously uphill battle.
5) Are you proficient in setting up players? HU NL is all about establishing patterns that will lead your opponent to make assumptions about your play, and then violating those assumptions at a critical point. If you’re not versed in interpreting opponents bets or using your bets to create an image for a purpose, you may be in the unenviable position of only winning when you get better cards than your opponent.
The above is not a strategy guide to heads up no limit - if you bluffed, semi-bluffed or called down every hand, chances are you’d lose quicker than someone playing their tight full rung style. All I’m really shooting for here is a basic set of factors that can help you make the decision of whether or not you should be playing HU NL on a regular basis. Size up your opponent, consider your bankroll, think about your reasons for wanting to play HU [revenge is often a bad one, although sometimes warranted] and then factor in the above before you make a decision about a game that can exciting but also pretty costly.
