Are You Da Mano?

One on One…Mano a Mano….Eye to Eye….throughout history, nothing is more compelling or brutal than a dual involving two people – no one else involved, just you and your opponent with the winner standing tall.
Pokers version of this combat is Heads Up – either an agreed one on one game using cash or tournament rules, or the stage of a Single/Multi Table Tournament where only two players remain, having all the chips in play in front of them, with the one who prevails taking the ultimate glory – and the loser ruing as to what could have been.

Heads Up Poker is considered very much a specialist component – most players either excel or are pretty dire at HU Poker….much like golf where you spend 95% of your time at the range practicing your woods and irons and becoming quite proficient at getting the ball on the green, only to be useless with the putter and taking more shots sinking the ball from 30 yards than you have to get the preceeding 400!

There is simply no hiding place with HU Poker. You are involved in every pot, having either a SB or BB invested – no folding and waiting for a better spot here, you bleed chips with alarming pace if you sit tight waiting for premium hands whilst Heads Up – but why would you, when your range of hands is suddenly as wide as the mouth of a feeding Basking Shark, and all of a sudden those raggy face cards are now looking like game winners rather than muck chuckers. After all, the average hand pre flop in Heads Up Poker is J-7 offsuit…so anything above this and youre normally ahead…pre flop of course!

Strategy for Heads Up poker is usually all about aggression, but ultimately, as usual, it comes down to players finding hole cards they are prepared to commit to…a flurry of raises and re raises, to a shove and a call, and before you know it the cards are on their backs and one player is staring down the barrel, with the other hoping to claim the win there and then!

It is the most raw, savage, no holds barred version of the game without doubt. Every element of your game is tested and scrutinised – with games lasting hours or a few hands. Love it or hate it, you cannot deny that Heads Up Poker is the most exciting element of the game, and those who are true Heads Up specialists have a huge edge over their opponents.

So just who is the best Heads Up Poker player, and how would you determine this? Well, The Pokeriety will very shortly be releasing details of their HEADS UP LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP – a league/leaderboard based concept where players will play fixtures against other players to see who shall reign supreme in this most dynamic of tournaments. Cash prizes, a shiny trophy for the eventual Champion and, if enough runners, added value from our friends at BoylePoker, where the games shall take place. It will be a fantastic event….keep a lookout for more details on how to be pronounced The Pokeriety Heads Up Champion!!!