At what point (HU) do you quit playing flops and focus on AI only?

[CardSharpCook]

SNG. You've gotten to heads-up against an opponent. The blinds just went up to X. At X, do you never call PF, do you only go AI or fold? What is X? Can there always be some play? Are there some hands you might just call with or just min-raise with? Does your opponent matter?

There was a brief debate about this in the MTT forum in which my answer to this question was widely disputed. I'm trying to fix a hole in my HU game. If you've read that thread in MTT, please don't respond here - I'd really like non-biased SNG pros to answer.

Thanks for helping.

CSC

[Scuba Chuck]

I really want to read your original thread first before responding, but I won't.

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do you never call PF

[/ QUOTE ]

The answer to this is how well do you know your opponent? If your opponent will let you see a flop without reraising (unless you're trapping), then I will complete.

If your opponent will only call your AI's with only premium hands, then a strategy to just raise/push could be effective.

Besides the blinds, you also have to consider stacksizes relative to each other. For example I could break down my strategy by the following:

I have 75% of the chips
I have 25% of the chips
Chipstacks are equal

IMO, the best strategy is dependent on the situation which includes, relative stack sizes, blinds, and opponent.

[ QUOTE ]
The blinds just went up to X. At X, do you never call PF, do you only go AI or fold? What is X?

[/ QUOTE ]

When discussing HU games, as the blinds increase to greater than 5% of the total tournament chips, the AI or fold can be an effective strategy.

[ QUOTE ]
Can there always be some play? Are there some hands you might just call with or just min-raise with? Does your opponent matter?

[/ QUOTE ]

IMO, there is no one answer to this. But the most important factor is your opponent.

[beeyjay]

some interesting stuff here.

[the shadow]

Also take a look at poincaraux's An opponent-centric solution to the heads-up jam or fold problem.

The Shadow (who doesn't know the answer but figures that it's something like once the blinds get big enough or you think the villian is a better post-flop player than you)

[Nottom]

[ QUOTE ]
some interesting stuff here.

[/ QUOTE ]

People love to link to this, but I'm not sure why since no one ever actually completed the experiment and posted any results.

Of course this could mean that someone did do it and the results were too good to share ... hmm.

[Tilt]

If X > 10% of min or my opponents stack, its always, always, always AI or fold. I use the Eastbay formula, and I have to tell you, it works really well.

If its less, then it becomes opponent and hand dependent. I don't think you could construct a simple rule.

Will your opponent let you see flops in unraised pots?
Is your opponent very good at HU aggressive play?
Can you get him to fold easily on the flop or turn with any two?
Is your starting hand one that could be a useful trapping hand against a reliably aggressive opponent?
Is your hand a monster, and your opponent a bit over aggressive, such that a limp/reraise might work?
What range of hands will your opponent call with preflop, against what kind of raise?

All are considerations, there are probably many more...

[shejk]

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
The blinds just went up to X. At X, do you never call PF, do you only go AI or fold? What is X?

[/ QUOTE ]

When discussing HU games, as the blinds increase to greater than 5% of the total tournament chips, the AI or fold can be an effective strategy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe I'm applying the 10bb rule incorrectly, but I'm playing roughly after that headsup as well. So with equal stacks I'm only pushing from level 8 and on.

[beeyjay]

it was never completed but i think some of the theories buried in there are worth something. The idea dali thought it could be a better strat for him (him being much better player than I) makes me give it some weight as a reasonable option. Irie also hypothesizes that his push everything results will be higher than his normal play results. I know eastbay used to talk about the percentages but I couldnt find any of those posts quickly and don't want to misquote him.

Personally I feel like pushing a lot when the blinds are 200/400 is a decent option as there are very few instances where this is not 10% of either my or my opponents stacks and if you raise 3bb and he pushes laying it down doesn't really add up.

[tech]

HU at the end of a tournament with high blinds, there are two strategies to follow:

(1) Fold a lot.

(2) Anything else.

The first strategy will get you killed, and with the second you will win in close proportion to your percentage of chips. This is basically straight from TPFAP.

[tminus]

thanks, ive always loved the stove and its great to to see the spreadsheet