HU SnGs

[pokerdirty]

please point me in the direction of how i should play these.

1500 starting stacks
BBs = 20, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 300...
10 hands/level

I would start at the 11s

Thanks

Shaf

[Indiana]

Sorry, ur a Yankee fan so no can do. Seriously, get to know your opponent at the first 2 levels, then take advantage of what you have learned at the later levels. There is no recipe to good poker.

Indy

[pokerdirty]

so essentially, play tight early, then pushbot late?

[Indiana]

Pushing is ok VERY late like how the structure is at the end of a SNG. That's not what I am saying. If he folds too much, minraise the chit outta him. If he calls too much value bet the chit outta him. More along those lines.

Indy

[Phill S]

[ QUOTE ]
so essentially, play tight early, then pushbot late?

[/ QUOTE ]

Tight isnt right in shorthand, especially HU.

Play the early game for information. Make him think your an overaggressive donk, whilst trying to nail down his game.

The trick is to either grind them down and take those 60/40 and 50/50s, or you find a monster, hide it well and take his stack.

HU requires a lot of skills that newbie players just dont have. Gear changing is vital, reading the texture of the board, assigning hand rangers based on very little information and correctly betting hands (slow play has a lot of good to it HU, but it can be a killer if you wait too long to set the trap).

Of course, when it gets really short when the blinds are big, knowing good pushing strategy is essential.

If you want simple advice, here it is. When you play, play only 1 table, and commentate on it in your head, telling an imaginary person why your making your moves. Tell that person the reads you are getting. Explain the hand ranges you put your opponant on.

It sounds stupid, but it does work as it forces you to put into words what your seeing and doing.

[pokerdirty]

are there any hands you would not play?

[splashpot]

Your question is so ridicilously unanswerable, it confuses me why someone would ask it. HU is the most player dependet type of playe there is. Anyone who gives you advice without knowing who you're playing is most likely wrong.

[pokerdirty]

i guess i'm looking for a certain style to play...I feel like I'm a good player heads up, but after 100 of these matches i'm 44-56 W-L, so i guess i'm looking for help in any form.

[Indiana]

True you are asking questions that are too general my friend. Good heads up play comes from reaching deep inside your soul to bring out the best decisions possible. Its certaintly my favorite type of poker. Study hard, focus, and figure out why you are losing and make the right changes.

Indy

[pokerdirty]

ok, we'll start with this. define a good first bet. 2.5x, 3x, 4x, etc...

[Phill S]

[ QUOTE ]
ok, we'll start with this. define a good first bet. 2.5x, 3x, 4x, etc...

[/ QUOTE ]

All of the above.

In HU play there are no easy cookie cutter type answers.

A general rule of betting is bet the minimum necessary to get your opponent(s) to fold when you want them to fold, and the maximum possible that your opponent(s) will call when you want them to call. However, against better opponents you have to either mix up these two sorts of bets or, easier, you can just open for a standard amount (2.5 or 3x the BB).

[MegaBet]

Dude, use the search function. Please. PLEASE!!!

[The Yugoslavian]

[ QUOTE ]
so essentially, play tight early, then pushbot late?

[/ QUOTE ]

No. This structure is *completely* different from normal STT structure.

These things are almost entirely about your opponent and his/her cards and tendencies. It has much less to do with 'oh this hand I can push 3 off of the button with 5xBB in any situation' type of thinking. There cannot be any 'rules' for deepish stacked HU play. I have noticed that players who excel in several different structure of hold 'em are often huge monsters at HU play without playing too much of it at all. So there is obviously some sort of transferrable skill set going on or something.

You should play a few of the trout thingies....I'd imagine that would be great experience.

Yugoslav

[pokerdirty]

[ QUOTE ]
You should play a few of the trout thingies....I'd imagine that would be great experience.

[/ QUOTE ]

Unless this is happening at Pokerroom, my mac won't be joining /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[Angelic_Ace]

I have been playing a lot of these on Stars, listen to everyone here who is saying there is no formula ala beating the 10+1 SNG's. You have to probe early on and try to get a read on your opponent's tendencies - and everyone plays a bit different. In the long run, you'll get the same amount of cards as your opponent, so you must find consistent ways to 'steal' away more than your fair share of chips.
This could be a key reraise when you know you've trapped him into bluffing at the board, or just raising 3x the big blind very aggressively against a tight passive player. To me, these are about 25% cards and 75% psychology.