$1/$2 NLHE PS, HU vs. SpicyF

[theBruiser500]

$1/$2 NLHE heads up with SpicyF, for those of you that don't know he's a 2+2 member who is very good. Plays $100/$200 limit HE and $25/$50 NLHE but I had a good day and was curious to see what it's like playing someone very good. SpicyF is EXTREMELY EXTREMELY agressive, capable of bluffing with his stack (but also playing his best hands the same way), very hard to push off a hand. Doubled up quick off him when we got all in my AK vs. his 77



PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (2 handed)

Hero ($$397)
BB ($$201.80)

Preflop: Hero is Button with K/images/graemlins/spade.gif, J/images/graemlins/spade.gif. Hero posts a blind of $2.
BB raises to $8, Hero (poster) calls $6.

Flop: ($16) T/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif, K/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
BB bets $10, Hero calls $10.

Turn: ($36) 8/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
BB bets $20, Hero calls $20.

River: ($76) T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
BB bets $70




PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (2 handed)

Hero ($$339.20)
Button ($$358.45)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif. Button posts a blind of $2.
Hero raises to $6, Button (poster) calls $4.

Flop: ($12) 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 2/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero bets $7, Button raises to $18, Hero calls $11.

Turn: ($48) 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, Button bets $35, Hero calls $35.

River: ($118) 6/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, Button bets $70



PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (2 handed)

Hero ($$372.20)
Button ($$316.85)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif. Button posts a blind of $2.
Hero calls $1, Button (poster) raises to $6, Hero calls $4.

Flop: ($13) K/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 9/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, Button bets $10, Hero raises to $30, Button calls $20.

Turn: ($73) 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero bets $55, Button raises to $200



I've left off the decisions on the final street, I like giving away as little of the hand as possible, by I really want comments on the entire hands. Thanks!

[theBruiser500]

A little more information about SpicyF is necessary here. When he bets or raises, he will keep betting. So in hand 2, I was 95% sure that whatever he raised with on the flop which would be nothing, a semibluff, or a real hand - he'd keep betting.

[Zag]

It is very hard to comment on isolated hands from heads-up play. So much depends on the tempo of the game, the frequency of the betting and raising, etc. If your opponent is as good as you say, then he can't possibly be "EXTREMELY EXTREMELY agressive" all of the time, or you could just wait for a hand, play wounded wing, and take his chips. Someone who is that good would keep switching gears constantly, keeping you off balance.

Anyway, with those caveats, I am OK with your play throughout, assuming you were intentionally inducing bluffs. That last hand has me a little scared because you actually showed some aggression and he came after you anyway. I suspect you want to fold to that river bet, but it sure hurts to fold two pair in a heads up game. He would have to be very aggressive for me call this bet, I think. (On the other hand, depending on how long I have been folding and waiting for a hand, and how often I had showed some aggression and he kept charging, I might be glad to call here. Again, the context is far too important to make this judgement.)

[Ulysses]

Hand 1: I'm tossing in a raise on the flop on turn most of the time. Whether I call or raise on the river depends on what I think he has.

Hand 2: You can't give away a free turn card there. I'd lead on the turn and go from there. The way you played it, I'm definitely calling the river. Again, depending on what I think he has, I might raise.

Hand 3: I might play it differently on the flop, but the way it went down, stick the rest of those chips in on the turn and hope Spicy didn't find a set. You are way +EV v. Spicy in this game getting all the chips in the middle w/ Aces up on this board.

[turnipmonster]

I agree with everyone that hands 1 and 2 are probably raise, sometimes call hands. you are never folding these, right?

hand 3, sure looks like he has a hand. but as zag said 2 pair is a firebreathing monster in a heads up game.

--turnipmonster

[theBruiser500]

Hand 1: I guess calling here and raising on the flop or turn is okay. On the river calling seems like the play. For some reason, I folded to his river bet which was an absolutely awful play. He showed 56.

Hand 2: I guess this isn't the strongest hand to trap with, in any case I won this one, he had T7.

Hand 3: His strength is worrisome for some psychological reasons: I showed a lot of strength in this hand but he puts his stack in, he's already built his image up to get paid off with the big hands, he hasn't really bluffed with his whole stack. Still though, as RainFall pointed out on IRC he could have K9, K8, 98, Jc Tc and still play it the exact same way. He had AK this hand. (also note that his preflop raise means nothing as he raised every pot preflop)

[theBruiser500]

Also, there was one more hand I found interesting that we played, when we just started, one of the first few hands. He bets $6, I raise to $17, he raises to $50, I raise to $200 and he pretty quickly calls with 77. Is his play defensible there?

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
Also, there was one more hand I found interesting that we played, when we just started, one of the first few hands. He bets $6, I raise to $17, he raises to $50, I raise to $200 and he pretty quickly calls with 77. Is his play defensible there?

[/ QUOTE ]

If you have $200 or more behind, I fold here. If this is early and that's $200 all-in, based on the limited time I've watch you play I would put you on AK or a bluff rather than a big pair and call.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 3: His strength is worrisome for some psychological reasons: I showed a lot of strength in this hand but he puts his stack in, he's already built his image up to get paid off with the big hands, he hasn't really bluffed with his whole stack. Still though, as RainFall pointed out on IRC he could have K9, K8, 98, Jc Tc and still play it the exact same way. He had AK this hand. (also note that his preflop raise means nothing as he raised every pot preflop)

[/ QUOTE ]

So, what did you do in this hand? Put him all-in or fold?

[theBruiser500]

Put him all in, lost to AK.

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
Put him all in, lost to AK.

[/ QUOTE ]

It does not matter about all the image-building stuff. Rainfall is correct. You can't lay this one down v. Spicy in this spot.