[UPDATE: Watch the live heads-up match right now, at the bottom of this page]
Doug Polk is bringing back his popular heads-up match to The Lodge livestream. Polk, one of the most accomplished heads-up players in the game, issued an open invite back in November.
Terrance Reid, a member of the PokerOrg staff, was one of the first to throw his hat in the ring.
The two settled on a date of January 24 at noon central at The Lodge in Austin, Texas. Ahead of the match, which will be streamed live, we spoke with Reid to hear his thoughts about taking on one of the heads-up G.O.A.T.s.
How did this heads-up match come about?
Back in November, Doug posted on X that he was considering bringing back his heads-up battles. That sounded fun, so I snap replied, "I'm in." Strike when the iron is hot and figure out the details later. We found a date that worked for us both after the busy holiday season, and here we are.
What's your heads-up experience like?
Not as much as Doug's!
I've played many heads-up tournaments and of course heads-up play in the occasional tournament. Button vs big blind in tournaments is one of the most common spots with wide ranges and frequent one-on-one battling. I feel comfortable in heads-up play, but I realize Doug has much more experience in the format.
Have you done any specific preparation to take on a heads-up monster like Doug Polk?
I've drilled down some common spots, sizes, and ranges, but I didn't get too in the weeds. Studying specific spots is helpful, but intense cramming tends to do more damage than it helps by overloading my decision-making process.
I plan to play my game, trust my reads, definitely gain some valuable experience, and hopefully take some of Doug's money. I'm going to go in ready to battle and try to hold my own against one of the best. He's a 'retired businessman' these days, so I like my chances!
Is it different playing poker in Texas than elsewhere?
Absolutely. I love playing poker in Texas, and The Lodge is one of my favorite spots; I've been going there for years, well before Polk, Andrew Neeme, and Brad Owen took over as the ownership group.
Everything is bigger in Texas. Whatever blinds you're playing, triple them in your mind. The average $1/$3 game plays more like a $5/$10 game in other parts of the country. Rooms also operate as 'card clubs,' so you don't pay rake. Instead, you pay a membership fee and an hourly seat fee. Money stays on the table, and with rare exceptions, you tend to pay less rake in the card club structure.
All of that is heightened by playing on stream with thousands watching. Everyone loves the 'chat pros'.
Does it feel different in any way playing someone in their own club, or with as big a following as Doug Polk?
Doug owning the club doesn't influence me one way or another. We both know most of the team there, and Doug's reputation for integrity is above reproach in my opinion. I feel right at home in that studio, and I've played there double-digit times myself.
As far as his following, he's a polarizing guy, and that usually means lots of eyeballs. People love to root either for him or against him. I'm a big fan of his table presence and how he tries to make sure everyone enjoys their time at the table, especially on his home turf.
I love pressure spots like this, and I know we'll both make mistakes and open ourselves up to critique. I don't care about criticism from the chat; I just use it as a learning experience.
Can you share any more details about the match?
We'll be playing $25/$50 for sure. We both want to play 200 big blinds deep to start things off, so we'll each be buying in for $10,000 to kick it off. After that, we'll likely go to match the stack.
It's a private game, so we may make changes as the game goes on if we both agree to it. They plan to stream for about 4-5 hours. I guarantee you we'll have fun, show cards, and try to put on a show!
You can watch the stream right here, courtesy of The Lodge's YouTube channel.
Additional images courtesy of Alicia Skillman/BeautyInCadence Portraiture/8131 Media/The Lodge
