How do you play heads up (4 examples)

kiemo · #1 11-08-2005, 07:25 AM

No reads on anybody, unless noted. Also all tables were full games at the start of the night.

Pokerroom $1/$2 10 players

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
UTG Bets, Hero raises, All fold.

Flop: (7.5 SB) J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets, UTG calls.

Turn: (4.25 BB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
Checks

River: (4.25 BB) 7 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
UTG Bets, Hero folds.

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Pokerroom $1/$2 6 players. BB starts the hand with 4BB and I think he is just going to play off his stack, already tried bluffing on previous pot.

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with K [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], T [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
3 folds, Hero bets, SB folds, BB calls.

Flop: (4.5 SB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
BB bets, Hero raises, BB 3-bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (5.25 BB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
BB bets, Hero raises, BB calls all-in.

River: (8.5 BB) 8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)

Dont know why I didnt cap the flop if I was going to go all the way on turn blank.

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Pokerroom $1/$2 7 players

Preflop: Hero is SB with A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
5 folds, Hero bets, BB calls.

Flop: (4 SB) J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets, BB raises,Hero 3-bets,BB caps,

Turn: (6 BB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets, Hero calls

River: (8 BB) 9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, BB bets, Hero calls

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Pokerroom $1/$2 6 players

Preflop: Hero is BB with 9 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
UTG calls, 3 folds, SB calls, Hero checks

Flop: (3 SB) T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, UTG raises, SB folds, Hero 3-bets, BB caps. Hero folds

At first glance this looks like a terrible fold as I was pretty frustrated at this point. But I am only getting 10-1 on the call and am certainly folding unimproved on the turn, so my view on it is changing.

thesharpie · #2 11-08-2005, 08:03 AM

Reads are vital heads up.

Hand 1 I take a stab on the 4 flush turn.

Hand 2 I want a better hand than this to invest 3BB in.

Raise 99 PF.

deception5 · #3 11-08-2005, 10:16 AM

Hand 1: I'd rather bet/fold the turn. Villian may fold a better hand when the 4-flush hits the board.

Hand 2: 4BB is still a fair amount. I think I fold this on the flop.

Hand 3: I just call down after the flop raise. Not very likely he takes a free card here.

Hand 4: I raise preflop and lead the flop. Are there 4 players on this flop? Aren't you the BB? If it's heads up this is going to showdown, there's a reasonably chance villian has a flush draw here.

imported_The Vibesman · #4 11-08-2005, 10:28 AM

Hand 1: I bet the turn, hoping to pick up the pot there.

Hand 2: Dropping it on the flop or the turn. It's just not a very strong hand.

Hand 3: Very read-dependent. My default play is to turn passive and call down after the flop raise. Having the flop capped makes me want to fold the turn.

Hand 4: Raise preflop and lead the flop.

Hand 3:

Nilbud · #5 11-08-2005, 10:37 AM

Hand 1: Bet the turn, fold to a raise.

Hand 2: I don't think it really matters whether you cap the flop, he's not folding. He looks pretty determined to get all his money in. You might be beat here, but I think you're good often enough to call it down.

Hand3: You really need reads for this one. If he's passive, I'm folding the turn UI. If he's a maniac, or if I think he sees me as a bluffer, I'm calling down as you did.

Hand 4: This one is interesting. I think it would be much easier to play if you raise pre-flop.

Nilbud · #6 11-08-2005, 10:41 AM

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Hand 2: Dropping it on the flop or the turn. It's just not a very strong hand.

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No, it's not a strong hand, but this is where reads come in. HU there's a good chance they both missed the flop. If Hero really thinks Villan is throwing away his last few chips, I think it's worth calling down. That's the thing about short-handed or heads-up, reads are vital and having one here could make you some money.

imported_The Vibesman · #7 11-08-2005, 10:56 AM

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Hand 2: Dropping it on the flop or the turn. It's just not a very strong hand.

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No, it's not a strong hand, but this is where reads come in. HU there's a good chance they both missed the flop. If Hero really thinks Villan is throwing away his last few chips, I think it's worth calling down. That's the thing about short-handed or heads-up, reads are vital and having one here could make you some money.

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It just really doesn't seem like there's much trash we beat either. Even any other king-high hand likely has us outkicked or reverse dominated. That board is all over the place, hits a lot of low-card hands for at least a pair.

Nilbud · #8 11-08-2005, 11:16 AM

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Hand 2: Dropping it on the flop or the turn. It's just not a very strong hand.

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No, it's not a strong hand, but this is where reads come in. HU there's a good chance they both missed the flop. If Hero really thinks Villan is throwing away his last few chips, I think it's worth calling down. That's the thing about short-handed or heads-up, reads are vital and having one here could make you some money.

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It just really doesn't seem like there's much trash we beat either. Even any other king-high hand likely has us outkicked or reverse dominated. That board is all over the place, hits a lot of low-card hands for at least a pair.

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OK, on reflection, you're probably right. Although, if I had Ax, I'd call down.

kiemo · #9 11-08-2005, 11:36 AM

Hand 1: my typical play is to continue the bluff on the 4 flush, but I didnt think UTG was going to fold and didnt feel the free showdown was worth much as I didnt think there was a hand he was playing that I could beat.

Hand 2: I didnt like and obviously reported my position wrong in preflop action (I was button not UTG+1 - copy paste error).
I will agree with the assement that KT isnt very strong for unimproved showdown value, but once I reraised the flop I felt I was pretty much tied to the pot considering I thought he was spewing his stack. Villian shows 32 and doubles up.

Hand 3: Once he capped I actually felt the best play was check folding the turn as there are very few maniacs at Pokerroom and when I on their table I generally know about them quickly, since I had no read on this chap it was pretty clear he wasnt a maniac. Villian shows J4.

Hand 4: Lack of preflop raise is probably gunshy at this point. Looking to lose the least amount possible rather then win the most (and again a mistype on flop action. Hero was BB and UTG capped - really tired when I typed these in and hand converter dont like PR). Dropping 55 BB in 60 hands without winning a hand and the A8 hand (Hand 2) being the best flop out of the bunch for me really was taking its toll. I finished the circuit and went to bed.

#10 11-08-2005, 12:25 PM

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Hand 1: my typical play is to continue the bluff on the 4 flush, but I didnt think UTG was going to fold and didnt feel the free showdown was worth much as I didnt think there was a hand he was playing that I could beat.

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Kiemo, I think this is precisely the reason you should bet. If there were hands you could beat, playing passively wouldn't be as bad, but here, you're essentially just conceding the pot. If you bet and he doesn't have a heart, he could easily fold a number of hands that are better than yours. He only has to fold a better hand 1/5th of the time for this bluff to be profitable.