HU with a monster.....

[octaveshift]

Villain has caught 2 crazy rivers to take lead from me. I am wondering if there was any way to extract more chips from him in this hand. Should I have raised flop? Bet more on end to represent a steal?

Does this reek of slow play?

I ended up winning the tourney, but hands like this always make me wonder if I could have played them better.

$10+1 Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t400 (2 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Hero (t3640)
Button (t4360)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 4/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
Button calls t200, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t1200</font>, Button calls t800.

Flop: (t2400) Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">Button bets t400</font>, Hero calls t400.

Turn: (t3200) 4/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, Button checks.

River: (t3200) 2/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t400</font>, Button folds.

Final Pot: t3600

[b0000000000m]

Your pre-flop raise seems a bit awkward to me. You are getting 1/3 of your stack in preflop, only to be first to act on the flop. I usually don't raise with a small ace from the big blind, unless it's all-in, or maybe if our stacks are very very deep (~50-75 BB's, like at the start of a HU Sit N Go). You guys are too deep for an all-in, so I prefer just checking and seeing what the flop brings. Most of the time I will lead at the flop for 1/2 to 1x the size of the pot.

Heads up is probably one of the weakest parts of my game, however, so I am open to hearing that I'm a moron on this one.

[curtains]

Yeah I'm not a fan. I would bet out on the flop here, but maybe a smallish amount. I just hate checking in spots like this, it's just too obvious.

[octaveshift]

[ QUOTE ]
Your pre-flop raise seems a bit awkward to me.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have been busting in 2nd quite a bit while HU, and I've been trying to work on dialing back my preflop all-ins a bit to see if it helps.

I am sure I will get yelled at for this, but I fear my HU play has been suffering because I wasn't really learning how to play, outside of pushing preflop. I am in ITM here, so I am willing to experiment with different HU techniques and see what happens.

Based on advice given to me on the forum, I had zeroed in on about 3X BB bet as the size that would make him fold rags. While A4 is an above average HU hand, I am (perhaps incorrectly) more comfortable seeing a flop with it than I am pushing preflop.

[shoeman]

Pre-flop raise was fine. I definately raise with any Ace heads up when the SB completes.

I would probably throw in a min-raise on the flop here. Maybe even more considering there are 2 diamonds. $10 players rarely fold to min raises when they are the the ones to bet. Then you may get more action on the turn when you throw another small bet out there. He may be drawing to a flush/straight and you won't get paid off on the river unless he hits. Bet the turn.

[Elem100]

I play almost exclusively heads up and short handed, and I have a high win rate at 10$ heads up NL sngs.

Its pointless to say 'what should I do' ? because its opponent dependent. Remember heads up you're betting that your opponent hasnt made a hand, not that you have.

Generally speaking at the 5 to 10 dollar level, Bet-check-Overbet usually gets paid the most, but you've got to play it the same as if you're betting with air.

Given that you've checked though, you must raise this flop but appear weak, so raise but not strongly, min raise or a bit more.