Improving Short-handed and Heads-up play in final stages...

[jasonHoldEm]

Hi guys,

I've recently been doing some analysis of my results in the satellite tournaments I usually play. I've found some interesting trends (leaks really), and I'm wondering how to improve my results.

I've found that two of my main weaknesses are playing when the game gets short handed and when it gets heads-up at the end. For example I have a lot of bubble finishes where my stack has been worn down because I was too conservative when it got down to 5-6 players left and then I'm forced to be overly agressive to try and make the money and end up getting knocked out on the bubble (or occasionally in 5th place). The other weakness I see is that when I do make it to head's up, I "lose" (place second) approximately 70% of the time.

I'm wondering where I should start to try and improve these two areas of my game. Obviously the Short-Handed and Heads-Up forum, but I'm a little concerned some of the advice preseneted there might be directed more toward ring-game play rather than tournaments (where you still have to take into consideration stack size and not going broke, etc). Any suggestions for books, articles, etc that have a tournament focus would be greatly appreciated. I have Sklansky's tournament book, and I plan to begin a through re-reading of it after finals are done (in two weeks).

Thanks in advance,
jHE

[2ndGoat]

Before going any further... how many tournaments are you drawing statistics on?

2ndGoat

[jasonHoldEm]

Goat,

Hi there, thanks for asking. I've played a total of 56 (single table) tournaments since I started keeping records (wish I would havce started earlier). I know that's a very small sample size, but I feel that these two areas of my game are where I need the most improvement. Obviously, I'm not horrible at SH/HU play (or I wouldn't have the results I do), but I could definately be better (I hope that makes sense). The more I think about it, the more I think this is the most important part of my game (as, for the most part, I only play satellite tournaments).

I guess my main problem is that I'll often play too conservatively (weak/tight might be too strong a label, but there are times it's probably appropriate to call it that), I realize there's a time and a place for that, but I know that I take it too far. Here's a good example, and it explains why I have more 2nd place finishes than 3rd place finishes. I would say that usually when I make the money (assuming I have around an average amount of chips), I'll try to stay out of the way and let the other two fight it out. I'd say (and this is a guess, but close) that probably 60-75% of the time that I make it to second or better the other person busts the 3rd place finisher, while I'm sitting on the sidelines. Now of course I'm going to play solid hands agressively regardless of who's left, but often I'll let those moderate hands go (hands that are solid hands 3 handed), rather than take a chance on getting hurt by a stronger hand.

I know that improving requires an attitude change more than anything, but I've never really read any information on short-handed or heads-up play (other than posts here in the forums), so most of what I "know" is based upon my own experience (which is very lacking indeed). I'm just looking for some good books, articles, etc to get a better feel for what I should be doing, and possibly some suggestions on how to improve my SH/HU game cheaply.

Thanks again,
jHE

PS- I own Turbo Texas Hold'em (but haven't played it much recently), what do you guys think of using TTHE to improve your short-handed / heads-up game. I know there's a different advisor for short-handed (and HU) games, I'm wondering if the advice he gives is solid. Thanks again!

[Mike Gallo]

Hi Jason,

You need to get experience playing heads up and short stacked.

Players use their stacks well in the later round.

Experience usually serves as the best teacher. Go get some experience.

Best Wishes

Michael

[jasonHoldEm]

MG,

Thanks for your reply, I completely agree that expereince is the best teacher (and I fully intend to get some /forums/images/icons/wink.gif). As a way to go about that, does anyone know of sites that offer heads up (or shorthanded) *limit* freezouts with a buy-in or either $5 or $10? I just looked at Stars and the lowest level they have for HU limit freezouts is $20 (which I can't afford right now).

Also, I should have put this is my previous reply to Goat. Of those 56 tournaments I've made them money in 27 (~48%), here's the actual numbers.

Total 56 Tournaments

$5 Buy-in Tournaments - 35
1st - 4
2nd - 8
3rd - 4
4th or lower - 19

$10 buy-in tournaments - 21
1st - 2
2nd - 6
3rd - 3
4th or lower - 10

Totals:
1st - 6
2nd - 14
3rd - 7
4th or lower - 29

I consider myself to be a pretty good single table tournament player, I just want to make some of those 2nd's turn into first's and some of those 4th or lower's turn into in the money finishes.

Thanks again,
jHE

[jasonHoldEm]

Hi guys,

I was running some searches and came upon this article by Abdul Jalib M'hall. I'm curious to what you guys think of it. Would you need to adjust the strategy presented for tournament play? If so, what would you take into consideration?

http://www.liveactionpoker.com/articles/abdul-shorthanded/abdul-shorthanded.html

jHE

[ohkanada]

Not sure if you have an account on UB but they have some 6 handed 1 table tournies. So you are short-handed from the beginning.

My one piece of advice for short-handed and heads up is to be more aggressive. But not so aggressive that you are killing yourself /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Ken Poklitar

[DaNoob]

Hey Jason,

Freezeouts I'm not totally sure about, but there are really cheap Limit HU games on Dynamite Poker. The site is v. mediocre, but they have lots of low buy-in tourneys with relatively decent competition (not quite as tough as Stars). They have Limit HU $2 games and NL HU games for $5 (as does Stars). Hope this helps and G/L.

General question: Have you found the $10 tables to be much harder than the $5 tables? I've been limiting myself to $5 tables so far, but have recently considered moving up. What has your experience been?

[jasonHoldEm]

Hi Noob,

Thanks for the info, I haven't tried Dynamite yet, but I'll check them out. Someone also mentioned UB, who I'd forgotten about until now (I can't remember if those mini-tournaments are limit or no-limit though...I'll check them out as well).

My primary focus is limit tournaments and I've found there to be (almost) no difference between $5 and $10 tournaments. The main difference is the rake in my opinion. When I started playing these "sit and go" tournaments I was playing at a site that charged $1 on a $5 tournament (a 20% rake), at the time I really didn't understand how much that affected your bottom line (it's only a buck right?). Well, eventually I did some calculations and found out just how much it was costing me, I moved up to $10 shortly thereafter.

Now that I'm at stars where the rake is 10% regardless of what level you play (i.e. 50 cents for $5, $1 for $10, etc), I'll still play the $5 tournaments if there's one that's getting close to starting (I'd rather be playing for $5 than waiting for $10), but if you play at a site where it's $1 for a $5, I'd strongly suggest you move up quickly (because it's costing you ALOT to stay at that $5 level). If you're playing well at $5 I would expect close to the same results at $10, from what I understand, the big skill increase occurs at $20 an above.

Hope all of that makes sense,
Jason

[DaNoob]

Appreciate the info. Just out of curiosity, how long have you been playing? Reason I ask is that I'm wondering how to benchmark my success/failure in the tournament cycle based on the amount of time I've been playing. I would say (I don't have access to Stars and I haven't been keeping a good record) that I average being in the money about 35% of the time right now, usually in 1st or 2nd when I make it. I know that my game needs improvement, but what I'm trying to figure out is twofold:

1- After playing pretty consistently for 2 months, what are reasonable goals for win %?
2- Based on this, should I be focusing my efforts elsewhere or moving up in the stakes. Ie, am I outclassed, on track, or excelling in my learning curve.

I saw your results earlier in the post and it made me wonder how long it's taken u to get to that point....

Maybe I'll see u on the tables one of these days (my handle is Senorstinky).

- Chris

[Templeton]

Hi Jason,

You should try the $5.25 & $10.50 NL Heads Ups at Stars,
they are great practice for tourney structure head up play.
I used to struggle when down to 3 in the 1 table tourneys at Stars but have since improved after alot of HU tourneys.
I play mostly the $5 & $10 1 tables at Stars, and have found that my win % is improving albeit only slightly /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
I still have your tendency to let the others knock each other out & move up the money that way, but I'm working on being more aggressive the second it is down to 3.
But to reiterate, play the HU tourneys at Stars (%5 rake).

Templeton