Can someone analyze my heads-up play?

marchron · #1 09-14-2005, 02:58 AM

Hi, MTT'ers.

I'm a 2+2 microlimit poster, but today I took home a little more than $1000 by winning a $24 + $2 MTT at Full Tilt Poker.

What I'd like you guys to do is analyze my heads-up play. Most of the tourneys I play in are bar-room games where the final two players make a deal because it's 2 AM and we all want to get to bed (or start another tourney, if we're feeling daring). Therefore, I think my heads-up game is fairly weak when compared to my regular game.

I did win this time (and I know I'm not supposed to give that away, but it would be obvious, anyway), but I want to make sure I played "by the book."

We played sixteen hands heads-up. My opponent was fairly tight but once in a while got into situations over her head. She complained in chat that she'd been cold-decked, and her play bore that out, since she was active at earlier in final table play, knocking out two of the final 9.

The read on me is that I hadn't yet shown down a weak hand. However, I had just got MASSIVELY lucky by sucking out a straight with 9/9 against the then-chip leader's A/2 when he paired the ace on the flop. Then I wiped him out with Q/10 against his 5/5 by winning the coin flip.

For all but the last two hands, blinds were 1200/2400 with a 300 ante. The last two hands were at 1500/3000/400.

Specific questions are in blue.

Here we go:

HAND ONE:
marchron (209,327)
Opponent (23,173)

Preflop: marchron is BB with 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
Opponent folds.

HAND TWO:
marchron (210,827)
Opponent (21,673)

Preflop: marchron is SB/Button with 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
marchron raises to 30,000, Opponent folds.

Standard?

HAND THREE:
marchron (213,527)
Opponent (18,973)

Preflop: marchron is BB with 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
Opponent raises to 18,673 (all-in), marchron calls.
Opponent shows 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
marchron shows 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
Flop: 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
Turn: Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
River: 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
Outcome: Opponent wins the pot (37,946) with one pair, Queens

I have a better than 11-1 chip advantage going in, so I can call with any two live cards here, right?

HAND FOUR:
marchron (194,554)
Opponent (37,946)

Preflop: marchron is SB/Button with J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
marchron raises to 4,800, Opponent reraises to 37,646 (all-in), marchron folds.

Should I have even bothered raising here? I don't like calling OOP much.

HAND FIVE:
marchron (189,454)
Opponent (43,046)

Preflop: marchron is BB with 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
Opponent calls, marchron checks.
Flop: (5,400) J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
marchron checks, Opponent checks.
Turn: (5,400) 10[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
marchron checks, Opponent bets 5,400, marchron folds.

Just concede this one, right?

HAND SIX:
marchron (186,754)
Opponent (45,746)

Preflop: marchron is SB/Button with 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
marchron raises to 50,000, Opponent folds.

Standard?

HAND SEVEN:
marchron (189,454)
Opponent (43,046)

Preflop: marchron is BB with 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
Opponent folds.

HAND EIGHT:
marchron (190,954)
Opponent (41,546)

Preflop: marchron is SB/Button with 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
marchron raises to 190,654 (all-in), Opponent folds.

Standard?

HAND NINE:
marchron (193,654)
Opponent (38,846)

Preflop: marchron is BB with 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
Opponent raises to 38,546 (all-in), marchron folds.

Not with those two.

HAND TEN:
marchron (190,954)
Opponent (41,546)

Preflop: marchron is SB/Button with K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
marchron calls, Opponent checks.
Flop: (5,400) 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
Opponent checks, marchron bets 5,400, Opponent folds.

Should I slowplay A/K suited preflop?

HAND ELEVEN:
marchron (193,654)
Opponent (38,846)

Preflop: marchron is BB with 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
Opponent folds.

HAND TWELVE:
marchron (195,154)
Opponent (37,346)

Preflop: marchron is SB/Button with Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
marchron raises to 194,854 (all-in), Opponent folds.

Good hand to push?

HAND THIRTEEN:
marchron (197,854)
Opponent (34,646)

Preflop: marchron is BB with 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
Opponent raises to 34,346 (all-in), marchron folds.

I thought about calling this one. Good fold?

HAND FOURTEEN:
marchron (195,154)
Opponent (37,346)

Preflop: marchron is SB/Button with 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
marchron raises to 7,800, Opponent calls.
Flop: (16,200) A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
Opponent checks, marchron bets 8,100, Opponent folds.

Again, I don't like just calling OOP. On the flop, I represented that I hit it and would have folded to a reraise. Good?

Blinds up to 1500/3000 with a 400 ante.

HAND FIFTEEN:
marchron (203,254)
Opponent (29,246)

Preflop: marchron is BB with 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
Opponent raises to 28,846 (all-in), marchron calls.
Opponent shows 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
marchron shows 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
Flop: K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 10[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
Turn: 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
River: 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
Outcome: Opponent wins the pot (58,492) with Ace-King-Ten-Eight-Six

Good move, just got a little unlucky, right?

HAND SIXTEEN:
marchron (174,008)
Opponent (58,492)

Preflop: marchron is SB/Button with 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
marchron raises to 173,608 (all-in), Opponent calls 55,092 (all-in).
marchron shows 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
Opponent shows Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
Flop: 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
Turn: 10[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
River: Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
Outcome: marchron wins the pot (116,984) with a flush, Ace-high

Ace/four suited didn't serve me well last hand, but I still figured it was good to push with.

Thanks in advance.

Crispy · #2 09-14-2005, 03:10 AM

Just be glad you were playing against a weak opponent. Headsup i never fold my SB..EVER. Overall, looks good though.

runout_mick · #3 09-14-2005, 03:12 AM

Other than hand 3, looks good.

I'd have folded that one.

Lloyd · #4 09-14-2005, 03:28 AM

First a general comment, heads up play is very much an art more than a science. You really have to be in the moment to feel how the game is being played out. There are a couple of by the book types of plays but more or less you are playing the player and not the cards. It seems like your opponent was playing the cards by the nature of her comment. I'd like to feel that I could win a heads up match as long as I got lucky once (on the final hand) regardless of the cards I was getting.

With your stack sizes I would put the villain all-in any time I'm opening pre-flop. They have to have a hand good enough to call you with and then actually beat you. Put them to the test. Even doubling up doesn't bring her stack even close to yours. Now, once she doubles up I wouldn't necessarily be pushing every hand.

I would probably fold Hand 3. You're getting only about 1.4 to 1 odds and you're likely to be at best a 60/40 dog which would require 1.5 to 1 odds.

I don't like mini-raising, even heads up. So in hand 4 I would definitely make it something like 6000 at least. If I'm in the BB (first to act post-flop) I would raise even more because I'm out of position the rest of the hand.

In Hand 5, again it's more of a feeling. Why did she just complete instead of raise. Weak hand? If so, raise it up even though you only have 9 high. And even though you usually better off being last to act, there's power to acting first in that many heads up flops miss both players and the first to act usually wins. So, again it depends on the feel, fire out a bet on a ragged flop that you think didn't hit your opponent.

So in Hand 6, you go from mini-raising to making a huge raise. Obvious tell based on the few hands I've seen so far. You shouldn't be raising more with a hand like A5 then J5. Same with Hand 8.

Hand 10, you shouldn't normally limp with AK. You're going to miss the flop more often than not and not know where you stand. Raise it up. I will very occasionally limp when I'm up against an aggressive player who I think will raise me when I limp. But if that's not the case, definitely raise.

Nicely play on Hand 14. That's exactly what you should be doing quite frequently. You played the player and would probably with the worst hand.

Hand 15 is a tough one. It's tough to fold an Ace heads up and I'm guilty of calling with hands like A4 in the past. But after running a bunch of simulations and using some of the tools that are out there that's now a fold for me. I'll push with it easily but I won't call with it. I might consider A8/A9 and would certainly call with AT.

Only problem with Hand 16 is the same one you've had with other hands - your overbetting pre-flop. Now, it's worked out for you because you've actually been catching a lot of decent cards (any Ace heads up is strong). But during those matches when you're not catching great cards all the time you still need to be raising, and pushing for 18xBB is not something you want to do with 85. So you make a normal raise with 85 and hope to win, just like you'd make a normal raise with AK and hope to win.

Congrats on the win.

marchron · #5 09-14-2005, 11:51 PM

Thanks. My conceptual understanding of heads-up is really lacking. But I think I get it a little more now.

I have Harrington On Hold'Em II on order. Does that cover heads-up at all?

Lloyd · #6 09-15-2005, 12:23 AM

He has a game plan for HU but more than any other stage of poker you really have to play the player and not the cards. But it should be helpful.

2+2 wannabe · #7 09-15-2005, 12:34 AM

you have to raise up your ak - it's not a hand you like the other guy seeing a free flop with

KneeCo · #8 09-15-2005, 12:34 AM

[ QUOTE ]

HAND TEN:
marchron (190,954)
Opponent (41,546)

Preflop: marchron is SB/Button with K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
marchron calls, Opponent checks.
Flop: (5,400) 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
Opponent checks, marchron bets 5,400, Opponent folds.

Should I slowplay A/K suited preflop?

[/ QUOTE ]
I would raise here. Because a raise, I think, actually does a better job of concelling the strenght of your hand than does a call. This is simply because a raise is what you would you have been doing from the button all game.
Of course if you have a read on your opponent that makes you think he will try to win the pot PF by raising after you limp, then do it. Otherwise, I throw in a raise.

Edit: BTW, congrats on the win.

benneh · #9 09-15-2005, 12:43 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks. My conceptual understanding of heads-up is really lacking. But I think I get it a little more now.

I have Harrington On Hold'Em II on order. Does that cover heads-up at all?

[/ QUOTE ]

lots of my heads up game is based on his heads up section. the heads up between d'agostino and ivey is a great read. i guess you can say i try to play more like ivey. keep pots small, outplay my opponent.

marchron · #10 09-15-2005, 05:15 AM

[ QUOTE ]
lots of my heads up game is based on his heads up section. the heads up between d'agostino and ivey is a great read. i guess you can say i try to play more like ivey. keep pots small, outplay my opponent.

[/ QUOTE ]
Was that the match they had at Turning Leaf Casino or whatever it was called? That was epic. They showed it on FOX Sports Net and were very true to the actual game. I think they spread just the HU over two hours of airtime.

Can't wait to read it.

Until I improve my HU game, I think I'd play the opposite: try to knock the other person out in one fell swoop. Ivey obviously thought he could outplay D'Ags, so he had no reason to push hard. I, on the other hand, am very unconfident in my HU abilities, which is why I made strange plays like calling the all-in with 9/5 suited. I wanted to get it over with as soon as possible.

BTW, I played my barroom buddies tonight. Wound up in the top two with about a 13-11 chip lead.

Split it down the middle. We wanted to start another game. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]