Deep stack preflop heads-up strategy

[pat3392]

I have two deep stacked preflop heads-up strategy and was hoping you guys could tell me which one is better and why.

1) This one is simplest, revolves more around adapting to the opponent:

First step: fold garbage hands like 37 T2, raise mid hands like Q10 at first to see how the opponent plays to them; some opponents tend to fold when you raise whereas other tend to call.

If the opponent calls when I raise then I will raise my garbage hands instead of folding them(the 37/T2 hands) and call my good/average hands(Q10/KK).

If the opponent calls my raises I'll raise good/average hands and continue to fold the garbage hands.


2) This style maximises the advantage of position and makes it difficult to gain reads on my preflop game( the above style can be figured out reasonably easily, changing gears is essential for it to work) It also tends to put certain players on tilt if it works

Basically, follow 3 rules:
fold garbage hands
ALWAYS check on the big blind(out of position) i.e never raise, even AA
ALWAYS raise on the small blind (in position) i.e never just limp, either raise or fold. Note that J2 isn't considered garbage by my standards so I'd raise here. Will raise 3BB at first and gradually reduce the amount I raise by as the blinds increase, till eventually I'll just min raise.



I just realised I could always use bothi.e changing gears. I havn't done this before though so I'm not sure how it would work. The second style is relatively new and people may try to play back at it; however when ever they do I seem to pick up on it and play back at them playing back at me if that makes any sense; this is what tends to put them on tilt, when I reraise their rereaise because I recognise it as a bluff; or because I'm loose with my raises preflop they think I'm the same after the flop and they call my raises relatively lightly

[fakedecoy]

I'm interested, but I think you need to do at least a couple edits for this to make any sense:

SB is out of position, and BB is in position. You have it backwards.

Strategy 1 - You said twice if opponent raises... What if he folds? Calls?

[pat3392]

SB is out of position preflop, but in on the flop; at least it is like that on the heads up matches on PokerStars. It doesn't really matter though which way it is, just basically raise whenever you will be in position on the flop

[pat3392]

For Strategy 1:

I think you may have misread it, I never mentioned when he raises. Strategy 1 is rather basic/incomplete; I've noticed players either fold to a preflop raise or call it, so if they fold to a raise then raise bad cards if they call a raise then raise good cards.

I'll rewrite the question if I still wasn't clear; I just have the impression that you may have misread it.


Sorry for the long reply, computer crashed =/

[fakedecoy]

Edit: Oops, SB is indeed in position heads up.

I think you may have misread it, I never mentioned when he raises. Strategy 1 is rather basic/incomplete; I've noticed players either fold to a preflop raise or call it, so if they fold to a raise then raise bad cards if they call a raise then raise good cards.

I misspoke and actually meant when opponent calls your raises. I'm referring to this where you say it twice:

If the opponent calls when I raise then I will raise my garbage hands instead of folding them(the 37/T2 hands) and call my good/average hands(Q10/KK).

If the opponent calls my raises I'll raise good/average hands and continue to fold the garbage hands.

[Kijjo]

Ofcourse you have to guard against being easy to read. You mention switching between these strategies as changing gears, but you say you're not sure how it would work. You've got to mix them up based on the feel of what your opponent is expecting. Maybe it's after you burn him with a junk hand that hit hard and you show it down, then you start playing the opposite with raising good hands. OR it could be that depending on the situation/opponent that you amp up the laggyness even more.
You can't have a script, but it's good that you're exploring the general mentality you want to have before you get there.
Personally, if I'm the shorter stack (even if we're quite deep), I usually look to play tighter and set the table for my opponent to think I'm scared into playing too tight. My hope is to use the smaller blinds to create this impression, so that later on when the blinds are bigger I can open up and take away quite a few pots before he adjusts his perception.
Also, good thing to ponder, which do you think is the greater advantage in headsup play - position or better cards preflop? If you could have one or the other EVERY hand, which would you choose?

[drmcboy]

well if you knew you had better cards...

[pat3392]

I misspoke and actually meant when opponent calls your raises. I'm referring to this where you say it twice:

It really depends on the opponent; obviously less continuation bet's since you are going to be raising like 40% of the time. Generally, I will raise again postflop if I think I have the best hand and I think he will call, or maybe raise if I think he will fold; it really is situational dependent, and since you are going to be in position with the initiative you can usually have a fair idea as to what your opponent is doing.

If I hit mid-pair I like to go into check-down mode; this really confuses the players and I often get players thinking that they can push me of my prefloped raised hand, only to beat them with something mediocre; of course then they would see my head but perhaps that is when I should change gears, when they are most prone to going on tilt; I've really been tilting people lately and it's quite amusing; I think it is also because I play relatively slow, since I don't like to make a hasty move, and most players want action so they start to play spewy because of boredom, then start getting frustrated at their crappy play and that I'm always raising, lol


Hmm, interesting question; yes, if you have the best cards PREFLOP, but AK is not that much ahead of J4, and I think it is probably better to have the better position to know where you are at. Depends though, but if you meant on average getting better cards but have the worst position, I'd go for best position; if you are shallow stacked it is easier to go into push/fold mode though