Bad heads up . . . need advice

This is my first time here. I play a lot of sit n go's online, and find that I almost always place, but rarely first. Usually I come in second. I am playing NLHE for $10. I know that I am weak heads up, so I am wondering if anyone knows of any books out there that could help me. I think my main problem seems to be playing hands like a K2 to a raise. I think I should be playing it (especially when they raise every hand) but I'm not sure. I do fine playing big hands and small cards like suited connectors, but anything else I don't know what I am doing. Any advice would be appreciated.

[splashpot]

Post specific hands.

[bluefeet]

Check out the links in this post - section 2.10.

Not sure of the structure you're playing under, but during most PP/turbo HU situations, there is little room for finesse. Check out Strasser's "Heads up evaluation" thread link in the post above. This level of aggression is fairly standard when the blinds dictate such a sudden finally.

When the blinds are not so large in relation to your stacks, there really is no fast rule for raising/calling standards. It becomes MUCH more about the information you've gathered on your opponent than it does each others hands. For the same reason, posting these situations also does little good. Given the time/chips, you need to mix up your play quite a bit - looking him up, bluffing, etc., etc., all to gain information to make your next play more optimal.

But like I said, usually at some point the blinds will dictate that you throw posturing and such out the window. Lean hard on your open aggression and you'll fair better more times than not.

[Irieguy]

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I play a lot of sit n go's online, and find that I almost always place

[/ QUOTE ]

Then I wouldn't worry too much. This would make you the greatest SNG player alive, so a paucity of firsts should hardly matter.

Irieguy

I'm sorry is that sarcasm? I'm looking for help with heads up. Placeing third is hardly worth the effort at the stakes I am playing, and second is frustrating. I'm playing $10 ones, and I am a better player than most at this level, which is why I place about 75% of the time. If I were playing for more than $10 at a time, than no, I would not place as often as I do, I would probably get my ass kicked, so there is no reason to make it sound like I was being obnoxious by saying that I place a lot. If you have advice for where I can find help with heads up play than that would be appreciated.

[splashpot]

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I am a better player than most at this level, which is why I place about 75% of the time.

[/ QUOTE ]
If this were true long term, you would be the greatest SNG of all time. No sarcasm. Most good players hit around 40%.

[Irieguy]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm sorry is that sarcasm? I'm looking for help with heads up. Placeing third is hardly worth the effort at the stakes I am playing, and second is frustrating. I'm playing $10 ones, and I am a better player than most at this level, which is why I place about 75% of the time. If I were playing for more than $10 at a time, than no, I would not place as often as I do, I would probably get my ass kicked, so there is no reason to make it sound like I was being obnoxious by saying that I place a lot. If you have advice for where I can find help with heads up play than that would be appreciated.

[/ QUOTE ]

Saying that you finish ITM 75% of the time and then asking for help is like going to a track coach and telling him you can run 100mph but you would like him to help you run faster.

You can't run 100mph, so as long as you go around saying that it will be difficult for you to get people to take you seriously and spend their time and energy trying to help you.

Irieguy

I'll keep out of your forum then Irie. Perhaps I am wrong, but it feels like I am placing much more often than I am not. I've made enough money (by my standards) playing them, that I am certainly winning more than losing. At these low levels it isn't difficult to double up and watch most of the table lose on all in's that they shouldnt be in. If I am over estimating my win percentage it is simply because I have taken the money I have won over the last month and estimated the number of games I've played. I took that at about a 75% win. Maybe I am completely wrong . . . maybe that isnt a big enough time period to be accurate at all. I didn't really see the need for the way you respoded to the post. So if I am wrong, and I am placing less than 50 % of the time, and most of that being second or third place, would I be ok with asking this forum about improving on heads up play?

[SonnyJay]

Just a couple general statements:

One, your guess that
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I have taken the money I have won over the last month...maybe that isnt a big enough time period to be accurate at all

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is completely true. If you've played enough SNGs, most players have months with results that would seem to make them the greatest player alive, and other months that would make it seem like they should just quit before they lose any more money. I'm glad you're doing well over the last month, but the general standard before your stats mean anything is 1000 SNGs. Get the SNG tracker program (there's a link in the FAQ) so that it will track your stats accurately for you. If 1000 SNGs go by and you're running better than 40% ITM and 25% ROI, then you've done very, very well.

Second, splashpot's suggestion to post specific hands is probably the best idea right now. I've read a lot of the books out there and there's definitely value to them in understanding concepts, but getting solid advice from people familiar with the games you play is more valuable for your specific circumstance. If there's a HU hand or series of HU hands that you weren't sure about, post and let people weigh in.

Third, while it's hard to come up with any really meaningful insights without actually knowing how you play, in general people with a good number of money finishes but no 1sts tend to not be aggressive enough once it gets shorthanded. I suspect this may be an issue because of statements like
[ QUOTE ]
I think I should be playing it (especially when they raise every hand)

[/ QUOTE ]
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At these low levels it isn't difficult to double up and watch most of the table lose on all in's that they shouldnt be in.

[/ QUOTE ]
Believe me, I'm aware that plenty of low stakes players make bad all ins, but one of the things that a lot of relatively new players don't realize is how certain situations make it correct to push with hands usually considered trash. This is especially true when the blinds get large. While you may not need to push every hand heads up, you should be very aggressive with hands you wouldn't usually be aggressive with. In general, if you're going to play a hand and either you or your opponent has <10 BB, you should be open pushing. The higher the blinds are, the worse hands you'll need to be pushing with (obviously since the blinds will eat your stack if you just sit there). Don't be afraid of pushing less than optimal hands because someone may call with a better hand. You will often fold hands better than yours and win the blinds uncontested, you're rarely a huge dog when you get called, and you get the additional bonus of having someone flip out at you and call you a fish when your T8 sucks out on their AQ. Hours of entertainment.

I know this advice is broad, but post hands and the forum can give you better advice.

-SonnyJay

[bball904]

[ QUOTE ]
I'll keep out of your forum then Irie. Perhaps I am wrong, but it feels like I am placing much more often than I am not. I've made enough money (by my standards) playing them, that I am certainly winning more than losing. At these low levels it isn't difficult to double up and watch most of the table lose on all in's that they shouldnt be in. If I am over estimating my win percentage it is simply because I have taken the money I have won over the last month and estimated the number of games I've played. I took that at about a 75% win. Maybe I am completely wrong . . . maybe that isnt a big enough time period to be accurate at all. I didn't really see the need for the way you respoded to the post. So if I am wrong, and I am placing less than 50 % of the time, and most of that being second or third place, would I be ok with asking this forum about improving on heads up play?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think I can help here. It's all about daily affirmations. Twice a day, look in the mirror and repeat the following until it sinks in....

I AM WE TODD DID.
I AM SOFA KING WE TODD DID.

Seriously now, if you don't have the competency to take a few notes recording your results, there is no point in giving you information you can do nothing with.