I'm a heads up dumbass. Please help

[raaustge]

So I feel like I ve been losing money by finishing 2nd in Party Poker single tables and multitables. Okay, you cannot lose money because you never had it (i got into a big debate with my roomate) , but everytime i feel like i should get first, i screw it up and i miss out on some cash. Basically, here are some hands from my recent $5 + 1 Sng. This happens all the time in multitables too. Any comments about these hands and some general comments, i.e starting hand requirements, when too push, etc. would be appreciated. I knew i was better than this player. Hell, he didnt even want first. One hand he was like, "well I'm happy with second so I'll call." Pisses me off. Thanks for help

Blinds $200-400

1.Hero on the button $6215 with K5o
Villian $1785

What do you do? I pushed. Is K5o too crappy?

2. Blinds 200/400

Hero on the button $4430 with QJo
villian $2970

I push again. Seemed liked QJ is strong enough.

Basically, these hands probably dont do justice to how bad i suck heads up because i think i played them right. However, i would like any pointers, strategies, general guidelines, whatever. Thanks for any help

[MegaBet]

I see nothing wrong with the 2 examples you posted...althought they ARE only 2 examples.

Do you play "push a strong hand, fold a weak hand" or do you like to see flops? Do you bluff much?

[raaustge]

Yeah i lost in three hands so I was a little short on examples. I usually raise any face from the button with a chip lead. I also hardly ever just complete the blind unless my opponent is real aggressive and might come over the top. Fold crap and push strong hands, i dont see the point in seeing flops with junk.

[Sam T.]

You will probably get a better response if you take this over to the 1-Table board. Not many people here will feel bad for you if you are busting out second a lot.

[baronzeus]

I usually wait for Ax or Kx. QJ is too risky.

[SixgunSam]

You should post your entire hand history from the time you are heads up. The first hand is fine, but you are overplaying QJ on the second in regards to the chip sizes.


Heads up is an adjustment to who you are playing and you cant always make one style work. Against an opponent who you feel you can push around pre-flop and make him fold, go that route and raise lots before the flop. If you're against a calling station who isn't going to fold to a raise, then play less agressively pre-flop and value bet the hands you make and give up the ones where he is showing strength with minimal losses. Against an aggressive player, let him win small pots and trap him for big pots.

I know Poker Stars offers heads-up SnG's. That's a great way to improve your HU game.

[kyro]

I do the same in both. Move down one forum and see why.

[kyro]

[ QUOTE ]
I usually wait for Ax or Kx. QJ is too risky.

[/ QUOTE ]

So you fold every hand until you get Ax or Kx? Blind away much?

[AliasMrJones]

Both pushes look fine to me. Just ran them through ICM and it says to push them both as well.

[locutus2002]

"I know Poker Stars offers heads-up SnG's. That's a great way to improve your HU game. "

This is great advice. If you want to improve you are going to have to get used to taking flops OOP, and work on bluffing, reading, and pot control, etc (most of the skills that lead to a successful poker player).

The results of pushing against a player that has 4-7XBB, in an accelerated blind format, are uninteresting and belong in a different forum.

[raaustge]

Your right. I feel like a play good poker up until heads up, and then all the strategy( bluffing, reading, postflop) play) seems to vanish like a doughnut at a fat camp. How about this then.

Blinds 200/400

Hero $4800, on button with QJo raises to $1000
Villian $3200, raises all in ($3200)

Hero? Is this like you said read dependent?

[MegaBet]

[ QUOTE ]
Both pushes look fine to me. Just ran them through ICM and it says to push them both as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought so. Thanks for the confirmation.

[locutus2002]

Tough call. Hero is getting almost 2:1 in the pot, but if villain has the best hand he will have a dominating lead.

Since hero didnt open push (which would have been viable), he has the option of laying it down. Under the right circumstances I could fold this even though it looks w/t.

It's a crap shoot at this point and I wouldn't second guess any play you made here.

[AliasMrJones]

[ QUOTE ]
Your right. I feel like a play good poker up until heads up, and then all the strategy( bluffing, reading, postflop) play) seems to vanish like a doughnut at a fat camp. How about this then.

Blinds 200/400

Hero $4800, on button with QJo raises to $1000
Villian $3200, raises all in ($3200)

Hero? Is this like you said read dependent?

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought about this line as well. You could also raise hand 1 to $1000 and call a re-raise. In hand 2 as played above, by the time the re-raise gets back to you you're getting 2-1 pot odds so the only hands you shold fold against are AA-QQ. ( His $3200 + your $1000 and you're calling $2000 more.) Looks like a call to me. If you don't want to have to make decisions like this the open push is fine.

If you don't like your heads up game, I'd recommend the short handed section of HEPFAP and the heads up section of HOH Vol. 2.

[raaustge]

Whats HEPFAP? Yeah i need to buy HOH2 soon for other reasons besides heads up too.
thanks

[AliasMrJones]

[ QUOTE ]
Whats HEPFAP?

[/ QUOTE ]

You should be ashamed lol. Hold 'Em Poker For Advanced Players by David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth.