Counter to re-rasing a steal in heads up No Limit Hold 'Em?

[whiteseagull]

What do you do in No Limit heads up SNGs, at blind levels 50/100+ when people notice you're stealing and keep coming over the top of you on a regular basis with no hand? Sure they'd get trapped when I actually have a hand but I would have way too little chips by then.

I thought of stopping stealing and betting my legitimate hands but the problem is then he'll notice that I've started calling/folding more often and therefore realise I've tightened up.

I can't stop stealing all together because in Heads Up you don't get a good hand very often and he can steal from me...
I can't come over the top of him even more because he'll be pot commited by then and COULD actually have a hand also!

So how DO you counter people countering your steals by coming over the top of you then?

[Phill S]

one tactic is to push instead of standard raise. however you cant switch back cos he'll smell the fish. this has the big disadvantage of you risk approx 4-5K to win 100.

another option is to call instead of miniraising and outplay him with your 78o. not easy as he has first shout, but it will change the pace, as im sure thats what your asking. with the blinds low if you have similar stack sizes you can even fold away blinds (unless hes a maniac he will pick up on it and do probably do it himself). you can play out small pots instead of big pots. this is basicly the opposite of strategy above.


you can call him with 65s is you have a significant chip lead you can lose a pot with him.

if you dont win youll scare the bejesus out of him enough to put him in his place.

you can play the same and wait till you have something to stand up with (K7, A3, QT). it wont be great, but you may be ahead, and if not you have a fair prob of winning. one of the biggest mistakes of playing heads up is waiting too long for a hand, so that when you eventually do, your impact in their stack is minimal (this represents a large proportion of my ROI)

___________________________________

as for which to use when, this comes under personal preference. what id recommend is that you learn to switch styles effortlessly.

when i play at all times i can switch from crazy blind stealer, to passive blind releaser, to terminator, taking chances and knocking out players. this carries over to heads up beautifully. the key to not be predictable. if a player shows a modicom of common sence he will pick up on your play as this guy seems to have done.

just try to practice the different plays, make a conscieous decision when you switch, then itll become natural to you when you do it in the game.
___________________________________

what i would recommend if you havent had much practice playing heads up is that you play a few games on stars. just drop 50 dollars in and play the 10+1 matchs. itll b e money well spent, playing these games for a week straight helped my heads up game no end, and it helped develop my flexibility towards the game as well, as in heads up you learn to play XYZ as much as ABC.
____________________________________

Just my opinion, perhaps a pinch of salt may help it go down...

Phill

[whiteseagull]

Thanks for the reply....

I'm generally raising 3 times BB and if I have a stack size under 10 times the BB I will go all in instead...

I've been playing standard tight-aggressive poker and I have played 1000s of heads up hands... I just find stealing to become pretty useless heads up once the opponent realises you are doing it...seeing flops cheap is a a thought but I do find limping in a very weak move since I can get MY blinds stolen that way...
I guess I have to learn to mix it up more but I find it very difficult to decide...I've always won my games by playing one counter strategy vs my opponent because whenever I change I'm not sure what the results will be.