Lucky Clubs
11-22-2004, 06:16 PM
I was heads-up at a tourney where the total number of chips in play was 22,400 and I was sitting on just 4,000 of those - fewer than 1/5 the chips. The chip leader had been betting to push me all-in any time he had a K or A, or Q and anything over 9. I used this to my advantage, and with a few prudent folds, managed to double up once and stay afloat. The blinds were an alarming 600/1200, and after losing two BB in a row with 2 6 and 3 8 after raises all-in, I was back down to about $6000.
I was sitting on small blind with 89h. I completed the blind, and my opponent checked his option, giving me a cheap flop. Flop came 4 6 8 rainbow. Without hesitating to watch his reaction to the flop, I pushed all in. He did a double-take after looking at his cards, and called quickly with his 5 7, having flopped the straight. Game over.
My question is, how should I have played this? Was it just rotten luck, or did I pick my spot poorly moving in with top pair?
In hindsight, I know he would have folded his 5 7 if I had pushed all-in preflop with my suited connectors, but was limping here the correct play? At the very least, I probably should have watched him check his hole cards before pushing with top pair, because he did a distinctive double-take when looking at his cards and then the flop, but by then it was too late.
Perhaps more importantly, with only $5400 left after posting the small blind, should I have called to see the flop in the first place with middle cards?
I find myself heads-up quite often, and I generally do well. But I've discovered that nearly every time I lose heads up, it's because I was caught with my hand in the cookie jar betting big with top pair off the flop, often regardless of my kicker.
All advice on how to kick this habit (or whether this is actually a profitable habit in the long-run) is welcome. Is it more dangerous to check top pair on a low board when heads up?
I was sitting on small blind with 89h. I completed the blind, and my opponent checked his option, giving me a cheap flop. Flop came 4 6 8 rainbow. Without hesitating to watch his reaction to the flop, I pushed all in. He did a double-take after looking at his cards, and called quickly with his 5 7, having flopped the straight. Game over.
My question is, how should I have played this? Was it just rotten luck, or did I pick my spot poorly moving in with top pair?
In hindsight, I know he would have folded his 5 7 if I had pushed all-in preflop with my suited connectors, but was limping here the correct play? At the very least, I probably should have watched him check his hole cards before pushing with top pair, because he did a distinctive double-take when looking at his cards and then the flop, but by then it was too late.
Perhaps more importantly, with only $5400 left after posting the small blind, should I have called to see the flop in the first place with middle cards?
I find myself heads-up quite often, and I generally do well. But I've discovered that nearly every time I lose heads up, it's because I was caught with my hand in the cookie jar betting big with top pair off the flop, often regardless of my kicker.
All advice on how to kick this habit (or whether this is actually a profitable habit in the long-run) is welcome. Is it more dangerous to check top pair on a low board when heads up?