head to head PLO (high only)

What are the key strategies in playing

head to head PLO high only??

I would love to know. I have been playing a lot of headup and 3 handed PLO high only on Pokerstars lately. One thing I've done to adjust is to play 3 card hands, which you normally muck without a second thought. Another is to realize that unlike headup limit hold'em, unchecked aggression is NOT the key to winning. If you get re-raised on the river, you are facing the stone cold nuts. He's not bluffing. It doesn't matter that you're only heads up.


You can steal a lot of pots on the flop and even the turn, but if he calls you on the turn, you are not going to be able to buy it on the river. Check it down. Stealing on the river is hard to do without a scare card that logically matches your previous action.


natedogg

Heads up PLO is very different from full table. If you are playing someone who is experienced at shorthanded PLO and you are not experienced, then my advice would be not to play.


However, if you are playing someone who has played full game PLO but not heads up (or not much), then I would say that you should use a lot of aggression and try a lot of steals until he adjusts his play by requiring less than the nuts or close to it. There will probably be a period where he will not play lesser hands, and during that adjustment period you can steal loads of smallish pots; as soon as he shows a willingness to put his money in, he will have the nuts and you can fold with a clear conscience.


True recent story: an acquaintance won a good bit of money heads up off a player who knows full table but not heads up PLO. The losing player fancies himself as a good player, but afterwards was heard to say "I lost but I had great value; he only won because he raised every hand".


Oh no!! Not Again!