Heads-up help please!

[DrPhysic]

Wm,

I agree especially against only one opponent who is getting a read on just YOU. Doing almost anything the same over and over is just asking for it. Considering that some of the things in my list are pure unadulterated bluffs, you don't want to get caught very often, or you want to make sure that once in a while when you (as a forinstance) min raise the BB, you do it with KK or AA. That makes you real believable when you do it with Q8s or worse.

If I am the sb, and can minraise with 78s (a pure bluff in this game), catch you with nothing, win the blinds right there, I will do it as often as I think I can get away with it. If I am playing somebody like yourself who will re-raise 3BB with 32o just to see IF I WILL FOLD, then I can't do it very often. It's all about reads.

We can play a game now and then, if you want to come down to $10 or 20. I excluded you three because a) you're all friends that I can gig a little bit, b) you're all known good players, and c) you all play at 7 to 10 times the buyin that I play at this time. Which is pretty good actually, it used to be 20 to 40 times!

Doc

[golden goose]

I'm new to this site but have been very succesful at the 50 nl sng at party. The problem when it comes to crunch time is that the blinds are so damn big. This really does reduce the things your can do considerably. Your strategy of kx Ax or any pair is probably adaquate. My suggestion is the following.

If you are behind, dont be afraid to bluff big, wtih all your chips. Chances are if you have less than 30% of the chips you are going to lose anyway so you might as well go down swinging. Its imperative that you even the score somewhat NO MATTER WHAT you have.

For example, If i have 7000 in chips out of 10,000, blinds are 250 and 500. I would have a hard time calling a 3000 dollar raise, regardless of my cards, becasue I am such a favorite to win. If you do get called, and lose, dont sweat it becasue you were probably going to lose anyway.

The reason I suggest bluffing big is as follows. If you only have 3000 and you raise 1500(3X the BB), your essentially pot commited. If you fold to a reraise you better hope you opponet is a bozo or get really lucky. You have to use your moderate stack size as a weapon, while it still is one.

[William Wilson]

Doc,

Thanks for such a strong response, and the time you donated to construct it.

One question: Does it make sense to only call all-in with the nuts, when any piece of the flop has some value? This could be one of my leaks HE, but isn't TPGK a monster here, even against somewhat frightening boards?

Also, what do you think about slowplaying top pair, regardless of kicker, hoping your opponent will catch second pair on the turn and think it's the best hand?

All (OK, almost all) advice on this thread is well taken. Maybe I will play one of you meat-eaters heads-up, just as a thanks [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img].

[DrPhysic]

Not such a big deal to write the response to your post. References from some books I can reach, and a copy of a word doc that generated the list I am looking at. (BTW, there is a different list for games other than HU).

[ QUOTE ]
Does it make sense to only call all-in with the nuts, when any piece of the flop has some value?

[/ QUOTE ]
Not sure I understand your question, or perhaps you have mis-understood something in my list. I will try. If I am answering the wrong question try again.

Remember that most of the hands you get in holdem are lousy. Therefore most of the other guy's hands are lousy too. Play accordingly until he tells you differently.

TPGK is a super hand in a HU game. It is USUALLY, but NOT necessarily the best hand at the table. Do not overlook the pair, 2 flush, or god forbid 3 flush on the board or the monster pocket pair the other guy can have. It depends on how big TP is, too. A 55 TP isn't big enough. We will assume your TP is face cards. You want to bet this hand on the flop hard enough that a drawing hand can't call, and preferably, if you can, weakly enough that you still have some chips if he does have a monster. We will assume you and your opponent are the remaining two of 10 at an SNG and he has enough sense to play poker which ain't always the case. All in is not necessarily the end all of betting here. It depends on your stack and his, and the size of the blinds. Read the stacks. If you are about even, a 2 or 3 BB bet may be better than all in. If you lose you are still in the game. If he has most of the chips, you may have to go all in. If you have most of the chips, maybe you are in a position to put him all in, and still be in control should you lose.

When you do get the NUTZ, you should often bet it right out. Not a wimpy min raise bet, but 3-5BB from levels starting at 1. Make the guy that wants to draw or think their pocket pair is high pay for the privilege of being educated. This does two things: a) it makes you believable when you bet right out with a lesser hand on a semi-bluff, and b) it sets you up to slow play a big one. But it is advisable to be known for betting right out most of the time when you have a good to great hand. You can't be sneaky all the time.

Now when you get heads up and draw a pair of pocket aces, you can call or minraise and slow play the big pair. Yes, letting him draw is a terrific idea if you have a rep for playing ABC poker, and he does not suspect he is about to bet himself into a corner. Please do not, however, come crying to 2+2 about how you got your aces cracked if you do slow play them. You take the risk when you do it.

Read William's response to my post carefully. You cannot afford to become predictable when you are the only guy at the table the opponent has to learn to read.

Most of the above is Bob Ciaffone Middle Limit Holdem and PL&NL Poker. Both good reads. Some from Vorhaus Killer Poker.

And please, do not make the mistake of reading my opinion as gospel. I am a learner, too. (I hope I remain smart enough to keep that designation permanently.) Listen to other opinions, and try things until you learn what works for you.

Doc