Heads up advice for no limit tourneys

[PShabi]

I'd like to create this thread for advice on playing NL tourneys once you get heads up.

I generally play 10 man or 20 man SNGs on Party and playing heads up is very challenging. So please, post all or any of your advice or tips on heads up play. Can be specific (small stack, big lead, etc) or just a general tip.

Can't wait to hear what everyone has to say on this subject.

To get the ball rolling, riddle me this:

If stacks are reasonably even, what cards are you playing from the SB?

[Windbreaker]

I think it's better to play more aggressive heads up and raise everyhand, regardless of what you have. It'll be hard to put you on anything. Should bet out on any pair if they dont' raise back preflop. But depending on the blinds relative to your chip stack, raising everyhand isn't necessairly a bad thing.

[jdiana86]

Aggresion is defintely a key as is reading your opponent, playing stack sizes, and going with your gut.

[greenbuckets]

I believe in raising almost every time, especially with a card higher than a 10. If you hit any pair on the flop, you can raise again and probably take the pot. If you don't hit, you have probably earned yourself a free card on the turn.

[Windbreaker]

Even if you miss the flop, you should be the aggressor and bet out or even raise. Just don't over do it. Don't risk the whole stack when the guy's betting strong or reacting back. It depends on who you play though. If the other guy is the aggressor all the time you want to bluff a few times back, but just usually play a bit tight except for a few occassions.

[jillaj]

I agree with being the agressor. I like to wait about 10 to 15 hands before i start to do it though. I will also raise every junk hand like 72o when a person is being really tight so that hands i actually play are my good ones.

[Defendant]

I believe in aggression here, but only if I have the right table image. I will give up my blind with junk hands quite a bit to give my raises more validity. Its basically a matter of not putting money into a pot when you are behind, as well as setting up the other guy. IMO that is the biggest part of heads up: setting up your opponent for the big play.

Defendant

[Baseballa19]

I love this tactic and use it myself. Early on when it's head to head, I will toss bad hands preflop to let my opponent know that I will throw away bad hands. THEN, you can raise with rags and sometimes take the pot. Aggression is important. You can't be afraid to commit all of your chips.

[sjay2k]

I prefer to start off tight. After you've played about 10 hands, your opponent will usually fold to *any* raise you make, which means you can take down big pots with bluff check-raises.

[Kidd7138]

The other thing about being really aggressive heads up is that it can really frustrate your opponent. If you raise from the SB, you're raising his BB, which will always annoy people, if you raise from the BB you're making him do more than just top off his SB. Being heads up against an aggressive player gets difficult because you always have to pay more to even see the flop. This will get some players to start playing worse hands than they normally would in this situation just because they want to see a flop. Aggression is the key, but like whats already been said, don't be afraid to throw away shit if its the right situation.