Heads up poker is the ultimate mano y mano challenge in the poker world. Almost all heads up games occur at online poker sites, because live poker rooms have too much overhead (dealers, table space, etc) to offer heads up tables. If you wish to start playing heads up poker, make sure to read the articles below before you hit the tables. Heads up poker strategy is very different from normal poker strategy, so by reading the heads up poker articles below, you can have a big edge on your competition:
Heads-Up Sit and Go Tournament Strategy It’s great to have access to a poker game 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which does not consume much time and allows you to see a ton of hands per hour. However, it does not do much good if you do not know anything about the strategy of how to play these tournaments, since you will just lose money. Online Heads Up Poker Strategy. In this section of our Advanced Guide to Online Poker we provide you with advanced tactics for beating any heads up poker game, including high stakes cash games and heads up sit and go matches. The first few articles are slightly basic and will catch new players up with everyone else, but after that we get right.
Here are all of our strategy articles for heads up players:
When it comes to heads up poker, aggressiveness is key. Since there are only two players in each hand, the likelihood that your opponent has anything worth betting is very low. Make a lot of bets on the flop to steal pots, and you will pad your stack. Then, when your opponent finally makes a stand, he/she will have too few chips to really put a dent in your stack. The articles above will explain how to do just that, and dominate the heads up poker tables.
Heads up poker can get a lot more personal than normal nine-handed poker, simply because you are playing against the same opponent every single hand. Some heads up players like to talk a lot of trash to get in their opponent's head, and this is a tactic that can work really well against a player who lacks self control. If you take a bad beat or two and your opponent starts talking trash, make sure to keep a level head and get him next hand.
David Peters has been one of the most consistent performers on the live tournament circuit over the past half decade. The Ohio native has averaged $5.7 million in annual tournament cashes from 2015-2019, with three finishes or sixth place or higher in the Card Player Player of the Year standings during that time period including an outright win in the POY race in 2016. Peters has now added another distinction to his already world-class resume by taking down the 2020 World Series of Poker Online $10,000 no-limit hold’em heads-up event. Peters overcame a stacked field of 128 total entries to secure his second gold bracelet and the top prize of $360,480.
A number of big names made the money by surviving to at least the round of 16 in this event, including Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier (round of 16 – $24,832), high-stakes online tournament star Samuel Vousden (round of 16 – $24,832), six-time bracelet winner Daniel Negranu (round of 16 – $24,832), World Poker Tour Legends of Poker main event winner Aaron Van Blarcum (round of 16 – $24,832) and bracelet winner Mike Leah (round of 16 – $24,832). Belarmino De Souza recorded his 10th cash of the series by making the uarterfinals in this event, earning $49,664 for his latest deep run.
Peters won seven consecutive heads-up matches in order to secure the title. His route to the seminifinals included victories over Johan Guilbert, Sami Kelopuro, Scott Woods, high-stakes tournament regular Sergi Reixach, and Stefan Burakov.
The semifinalists took a week-long break after setting up their matches on Saturday, Aug. 8. Play resumed on Aug. 15, with Peters squaring off against Canada’s Alyssa MacDonald while two-time bracelet winner Michael Addamo faced fellow high roller regular Michael Zhang on the opposite side of the bracket.
Addamo was the first to advance to the finals. Zhang started out with an early lead, but Addamo had fought his way ahead by the time the final hand of their match was dealt. Addamo picked up the 63 on the button and raised to 40,000. Zhang three-bet to 160,000 with the KQ and Addamo called. The flop came down K33 and Zhang bet 80,000 with his kings and threes. Addamo called with his trips and the 10 hit the turn. Zhang fired 288,000 and Addamo smooth called again. The 2 completed the board and Zhang moved all-in for 887,344. Addamo quickly called with his trip threes to send Zhang to the rail with $124,160.
Peters and MacDonald were more or less even when Addamo secured his finals berth. Peters was able to jump out to a lead as play continued, sitting with around a 5:3 chip advantage when the decisive hand was dealt. Peters had raised preflop from the bottom with J10 and called a three-bet from MacDonald, who held QQ in the big blind. The flop came down Q108 and MacDonald bet 177,408 with top set. Peters called with his pair and straight draw, only to adds to a flush when the 5 hit the turn. MacDonald bet 390,498 and Peters called. The 9 on the river prompted a check from MacDonald. Peters moved all-in with his rivered straight and MacDonald called off her last 661,442 with her set. She earned $124,160 for her strong showing in this event.
The final heads-up match for the title began right away. The two traded small leads in the early going, before Addamo landed the first big blow of the match by picking off an overbet bluff from Peters with aces up. The hand propelled him to better than a 2:1 chip lead. Peters regained the lead in dramatic fashion, making a straight flush against the ace-high flush of Addamo. Peters turned the unbeatable hand with 85 on a 7643J board. Addamo shoved over his river bet with A4 only to get a snap call from Peters, who doubled up to take a slight lead in the match.
Addamo fought back ahead for a brief period, but Peters soon regained the lead for what would ultimately be the last time. By the time the final hand of the tournament was dealt, Addamo was down to around seven big blinds. He shoved from the button with J3 and Peters called with AK. The board came down A95AK and Peters made aces full of kings to secure the pot and the title. Addamo earned $223,488 after falling just short of winning his third career bracelet.
Here is a look at the payouts awarded in this event:
Place | Name | Earnings |
Champion | David Peters | $360,480 |
Runner-Up | Michael Addamo | $223,488 |
Semi-Finalist | Alyssa MacDonald | $124,160 |
Semi-Finalist | Michael Zhang | $124,160 |
Quarter-Finalist | Stefan Burakov | $49,664 |
Quarter-Finalist | Christopher Brewer | $49,664 |
Quarter-Finalist | Belarmino De Souza | $49,664 |
Quarter-Finalist | Pedro Waldburger | $49,664 |
Round of 16 | Ajay Chabra | $24,832 |
Round of 16 | Sergi Reixach | $24,832 |
Round of 16 | Mike Leah | $24,832 |
Round of 16 | Aaron Van Blarcum | $24,832 |
Round of 16 | Daniel Negreanu | $24,832 |
Round of 16 | Samuel Vousden | $24,832 |
Round of 16 | Vlad Stefan Lache | $24,832 |
Round of 16 | Bertrand Grospellier | $24,832 |