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Yeti

10-13-2005, 09:14 PM

I need help.

Twice now I have blown 10k v 3.5k chip leads on my first DS table. Yes, I know there's lots of variance involved, but I just keep losing my mind when I get in this situation.

So, so frustrating. I know how to play when the blinds are high and it's a hand ranges shoving match, but what about when there's more play? Say 8k v 5k on 100/200?

Someone please offer advice, no matter how general. What seems to happen is I open some junk on the button in an effort to stay 'aggressive', then he'll shove. I just feel like I'm gifting chips. Then a couple of hands later I'll open A2, miss the flop and he'll cr me.

Argh.

durron597

10-13-2005, 09:36 PM

It sounds like you're playing too aggressive. The two keys for me to HU play is keep mixing it up and take advantage of position. Complete/check fold to set up a complete with AA later type of stuff.

A lot of times you can make more money by playing passively than you can by playing aggressively. Make sure to keep the entire HU match in context and try to get inside your opponent's head. What gear is he in? What does he like to do? Does he have any tendencies that he's not mixing it up with? How straightforward is he?

Here's a hand from yesterday you probably won't like, but was correct in this situation against this opponent (we had been playing HU for awhile):

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

Hero (t4820)
BB (t8680)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 5/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
Hero raises to t1200, BB calls t800.

Flop: (t2025) J/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 3/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/club.gif (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

Turn: (t2025) J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif (2 players)
BB bets t1200, Hero calls t1200.

River: (t4425) 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif (2 players)
BB bets t800, Hero calls t800.

Final Pot: t6025

Results in white below: 
Hero has 5c As (two pair, aces and jacks).
BB has Ks 2h (one pair, jacks).
Outcome: Hero wins t6025.

Bigdaddydvo

10-13-2005, 09:44 PM

[ QUOTE ]
It sounds like you're playing too aggressive. The two keys for me to HU play is keep mixing it up and take advantage of position. Complete/check fold to set up a complete with AA later type of stuff.

A lot of times you can make more money by playing passively than you can by playing aggressively. Make sure to keep the entire HU match in context and try to get inside your opponent's head. What gear is he in? What does he like to do? Does he have any tendencies that he's not mixing it up with? How straightforward is he?

Here's a hand from yesterday you probably won't like, but was correct in this situation against this opponent (we had been playing HU for awhile):

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

Hero (t4820)
BB (t8680)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 5/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
Hero raises to t1200, BB calls t800.

Flop: (t2025) J/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 3/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/club.gif (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

Turn: (t2025) J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif (2 players)
BB bets t1200, Hero calls t1200.

River: (t4425) 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif (2 players)
BB bets t800, Hero calls t800.

Final Pot: t6025

Results in white below: 
Hero has 5c As (two pair, aces and jacks).
BB has Ks 2h (one pair, jacks).
Outcome: Hero wins t6025. 

[/ QUOTE ]

This is EXACTLY the kind of mixing up that is essential in HU. nh.

MegaBet

10-13-2005, 09:45 PM

Being the current 2+2 heads up champion, I'd give you some advice, but right now I need sleep /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bill Poker

10-13-2005, 10:02 PM

[ QUOTE ]
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t400 (2 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Hero (t4820)
BB (t8680)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 5/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
Hero raises to t1200, BB calls t800.

Flop: (t2025) J/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 3/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/club.gif (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks.

Turn: (t2025) J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif (2 players)
BB bets t1200, Hero calls t1200.

River: (t4425) 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif (2 players)
BB bets t800, Hero calls t800.

Final Pot: t6025

Results in white below: 
Hero has 5c As (two pair, aces and jacks).
BB has Ks 2h (one pair, jacks).
Outcome: Hero wins t6025. 

[/ QUOTE ]

river push? you only have 4BB left if you lose.

durron597

10-13-2005, 10:02 PM

[ QUOTE ]

river push? you only have 2.5BB left if you lose.

[/ QUOTE ]

He has me beat or nothing 100% of the time.

bmxreed36

10-13-2005, 10:06 PM

I agree with Durron as to starting off slow when you're headsup with smallish blinds. Put in a raise here or there whether before the flop or after to see how he reacts, I might call a couple small bets with a weaker hand just to see what he's betting, but basically I use this time to set him up for when the blinds start going up. If you check-fold a bunch of flops, you can trap him later, you can check-raise with nothing and he'll give you credit for something. Just when he sees you as weak-tight, you start getting aggressive when the blinds go up and many times, it'll take a while before he realizes you're simply pushing any face card. Just an idea.

Yeti

10-14-2005, 08:44 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Here's a hand from yesterday you probably won't like, but was correct in this situation against this opponent

[/ QUOTE ]

FWIW I play it the same. I'm not an idiot, my post-flop play is good, I just start getting nervous in these situations for some reason and end up raising junk preflop and in general, playing like an idiot.

I really think I shoulda slowed down the game at 10k v 3.5k, blinds were still 100/200. Complete the sb, call some small raises, play postflop. Wait till the blinds move up and start hammering him preflop.

Of course, that's all very good in hindsight. So annoyed.

Indiana

10-14-2005, 10:30 AM

It takes a lot of practice and some losses to get really good at HU. I've played exclusively HU for 2 str8 months in the past just to get better. Now when it gets shorthanded I rape the table because I can literally smell weaknesses.

Indy

Jason Strasser

10-14-2005, 11:10 AM

If your opp is passive dont fold preflop.

I do a ton of limping HU. With the button.

Jbrochu

10-14-2005, 01:16 PM

Read the HU section of HoH2. That section is the most valuable part of the book in my opinion.

Yeti

10-14-2005, 04:50 PM

Heh, just lost another.

4 DS', 3 2nds! Woo.

I played a lot better but still lost to an idiot. Really annoying.

Apathy

10-14-2005, 05:39 PM

[ QUOTE ]
If your opp is passive dont fold preflop.

I do a ton of limping HU. With the button.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is good advice. If the stacks are quite deep min raising a large number of hands instead of limping can be a good idea too. It ensure that you play larger pots in position on average and especially against tight or passive players you will be able to grind them down quickly like this.

A_Junglen

10-14-2005, 05:46 PM

HoH2 Heads up section is great.

If it's deep stacks it's never correct to fold PF. Usually there's a decent amount of play left in Stars SNG's so limping is good