Heads-up and 3-Way

[pratt]

I would consider myself an above-avg. multi-table player and have recently discovered SnG's are very beatable. I finish in the top 3 over consistantly(sp?) but just can't seem to crack that top spot. Any suggestions or comments to help push me over the hump. Thanks.

[rivered]

You have to give more details before anyone could have any guess. How many games, what level, what site. After that you still won't get many answers until you post some specific games or hand histories.

Other than that the only answers are that you're no good at heads up, you play too tight/passive at bubble time and don't have many chips left or you've just had bad luck.

[pratt]

Like I said in my post I have only recently started playing SnG's so I have only played in about 50 $10+1 on Poker Stars (I don't really like the T800 chips Party starts you with). I may just not be good heads-up player because I don't consider myself to tight/passive. I usually have about the same number of chips as the other 2 and sometimes more.

[pratt]

In heads-up and 3-way play should I fold my SB with rag cards or see just about every flop regardless?

[stillnotking]

By far the most common error in short-table play is not raising often enough (or large enough) preflop. Example:

4 players left, Hero is short stack with 700 chips, blinds 50/100. Big blind is a typical $10 player with 800 chips. Hero is SB and is dealt Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif. UTG folds, button folds, Hero moves all in, is called by A/images/graemlins/spade.gif 6/images/graemlins/diamond.gif and loses.

From comments at the table the other players thought that was a bad or maniacal play. In fact it was obvious and I would make it every time, with a much worse hand if necessary.

[rivered]

I think the blind structure at Stars makes it a lot easier to out play someone heads up - in general. If you're new, the late play takes experience and also, 50 is very few games to go by. Post some hands if you want specific advice.

[brancano]

The best advice i could give is try to be a little more aggresive. You dont need to get good cards to bust someone heads-up. Try to follow their betting patterns and capatalize on it when you think ththey are weak.

[pratt]

1st!!1st!! Finally, last night I won a 20+2 SnG on Poker Stars. When heads-up play started I had 3x the chips as the other guy and was able to put him away. I seemed to be able to build my stack when I was isolated 1on1 with a smaller stack and called his all-in. Thanks for the advice.