how to deal with heads-up aggression?

dmaster · #1 02-25-2005, 10:15 PM

I've been doing good, but not great, at the 1-table SNG's on FTP. Unfortunately, at least half the time when I'm in the money, I'll do it when I'm the short stack or the 2nd stack and the guy in the lead was the kind of maniac that won a few races and then stopped playing until 2 people were left.. I'm sure it's some kind of strategy, and I guess it works well, and I don't know how to play against it.

Ultimately, when it's heads up, the guy will raise the blinds 2x or 3x every single hand, BB or SB. I realize the value of the strategy here, in that if you're sufficiently large stacked, you can eventually blind the small stack out, or make them play a bad hand, etc. I always get in a bad hand that I shouldn't have played and ultimately (mostly) lose. If I win it was a coin flip, and that's not very entertaining poker.

Is there a counter-strategy here that doesn't end up with me (the short stack) just spewing chips in a desperate attempt to get lucky and double up?

valenzuela · #2 02-25-2005, 11:11 PM

You have two choices heads-up on a SNG against an agressive player: Winning about half of the time or blinding off(If you want some heads-up play then play on Ultimate Bet)

ReDeYES88 · #3 02-26-2005, 01:57 AM

[ QUOTE ]
If I win it was a coin flip, and that's not very entertaining poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

And what exactly is not entertaining about winning a coin flip? Or a 40-60? or 33-66? or 20-80, for that matter [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Perhaps SnGs aren't the game for you?

slickpoppa · #4 02-26-2005, 02:05 AM

When playing heads up and the blinds are huge, you must be willing to go all-in with any two reasonable cards. That is just the nature of the game. When each player has less than 10bb, there isn't much room for skill or creativity. if you don't like that, stop playing SNGs and play cash NL games instead.

shejk · #5 02-26-2005, 01:01 PM

Look, his play is magnificent, FOR YOU! You just push decent to good hands and fold the crap. If he calls once and lose, you'll be about even, and if he folds a few, you'll be about even.

If you like headsup postflop play, don't play on party.

dmaster · #6 02-26-2005, 04:44 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If I win it was a coin flip, and that's not very entertaining poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

And what exactly is not entertaining about winning a coin flip? Or a 40-60? or 33-66? or 20-80, for that matter [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Perhaps SnGs aren't the game for you?

[/ QUOTE ]

I just don't think it takes much strategy or skill at that point, and if I can play great poker to get TO heads up, that it shouldn't just end on any old hand becuase I can't afford to fold 30 times until I see a decent hand.

If there's really no decent way to stop someone from doing it, I suppose I'll play significantly more loose when it's down to 3 or 4 players and hope to double up then, rather than later.

(and no, I don't play on Party)

freemoney · #7 02-26-2005, 06:22 PM

also if he is raising from the BB everytime you limp in, then limp with hands like A8, let him raise and push back, if he is auto raising basically you will be favorite good amount of time, also if he folds it makes him cautious to try it again. these players (including me) will push until getting pushed back.