$22 - Heads up problem

[EricW]

I'm sure you guys have all have experienced this before. You're heads up and because of previous loose play by the table, heads up means one stack (you) is /pwned because the big stack has so many chips.


NL Texas Hold'em $20 Buy-in + $2 Entry Fee Trny:16374588 Level:6 Blinds(100/200) - Thursday, October 06, 07:03:35 EDT 2005
Table Table 14436 (Real Money)
Seat 1 is the button
Total number of players : 2
Seat 8: kane69111 ( $5500 )
Seat 1: Hero ( $2500 )
Trny:16374588 Level:6
Blinds(100/200)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Hero [ Js Qs ]
Hero is all-In [2400]


This is probably the hardest to play in my opinion. The hand is too pretty to give up. However, min raising is terrible because the villain could sense weakness and just push over-the-top whereas a proper raise is 1/4th my stack and that's not a good idea either.

I don't really like pushing because I'm pushing 2300 to win 300. But on the other hand, I'm kinda screwed anyways because the big stack has me outstacked like 2:1 so should I just gamboool and hope to double up?

Opinions?

IMHO

This is no push for me. You have plenty of life left with your stack at the blinds at this level without resorting to these tactics yet.

So what's this guy gonna call you with ? Ax, a small pocket pair or a big pocket pair. Either way you are behind and are looking to hit on the flop or afterwards.

Yes it does look pretty, but I fold.

[nyc999]

QJ is ahead most of the time, but you have plenty of time to pick your spot. I either put in a 3x raise or fold. You don't need to push.

So you are just waiting for aces and kings? I would never fold QJs in this spot HU. I raise 3x bb

No not at all. You may wish to raise but how do you handle a re-raise? My point is what is this guy gonna call (if you push) or re-raise you with?

[Mr_J]

Edit, whoops I thought the blinds were 150/300. Pushing is still fine here, and I'd either raise 3x or push depending on my opponent.

[aaronk56]

I avoid this problem by min-raising 90% of the time from the SB heads-up, folding the rest.

[Mr_J]

Do you plan on calling a push??

[aaronk56]

Not with QJs. But I think people fold to often to your raise, so it's profitable and most people won't push back against you unless they have a real hand. If someone keeps pushing back, then you have to make a stand.

[bennies]

QJs HU is a very strong hand. Often you are in front and it is rare that you are way behind - so getting all your chips in with 13 BB's seem fine to me. I'd put in a raise and call a push.

[EricW]

The reason I hate these situations is because it's so damn tricky.

Say if I raise 3x BB my stack is now at 1900. What do I do if a Queen or a jack doesn't hit? Do I make a continuation bet if checked to? If I do, that severely dents my stack. What happens if and Ace or a King comes up? Do I still make a continuation bet? What if the big stack just comes right out betting and I don't have a piece of the flop?

As you can see, it sucks because if I make a standard raise, I'm putting 1/4 of my chips in and any thing I do from the flop onward is using a huge chunk of my chips.

I really don't know what to do??

[bennies]

If checked to on the flop I would push unless the board was strongly coordinated like a monocrone non spade 567 board. I don't think you have to fear it if an A flopped, many players will reraise with Ax preflop.

If villain bets first on the flop, then I agree you are in a tough spot. If he didn't pot commit himself you could probably still push over the top on most boards though, 6+ outs (twice) and FE is not so bad.

[the shadow]

I'm posting before reading the other responses.

Ratio is 12.5:1. Time to start thinking about playing an optimal push-call strategy. Easy push, esp. with QJs.

The Shadow

[lastchance]

[ QUOTE ]

Yes it does look pretty, but I fold.

[/ QUOTE ]
Think about how good QJs when your opponent could have any 2 cards under there. This is a faceup push vs a fold. I think you can get fancy here and raise 2.5x BB, especially if the guy is weak-tight preflop or postflop, but I think I'd push quite a lot too.