ADVICE ON HOW TO PLAY AMATURES WHO CALL ALL IN WITH K9 PREFLOP? HELP!!

qpwoei · #1 06-21-2005, 11:06 AM

I play headsup with an "amature" poker friend who is very cocky and, for example, will call a preflop reraised all in with very bad hands (K10, Kj, A8) and, having asked him, he knows he is probably behind, yet likes the call!!!!?
The problem comes when he wins by playing this way.
He will raise 3 x BB with Q 5
I think you will tell me to "play ABC poker" or some variation, but its impossible.
I cannot bluff either since he calls with [censored].
EG = He raise preflop with Q 8
Flop = Q 9 9
I check
He bets small
I reraise all in
There is not a lot in the pot, and this game is for £50
He calls quickly?!?!!?
I knew he would call in this instance, thats why i went all in. But these good happenings for me are rare and i am going to have to quit playing him and stick to online Heads Up. If you were wondering, i am not a bad HU player - I consistantly win against top online HU apponants.

Unless you guys can give me some SUPERB ADVICE?!!

This is not a bad beat post as i too hate. It is more of a wondering on how to play such poker amatures.

Thanks for your help

MyMindIsGoing · #2 06-21-2005, 11:14 AM

1. Play pot limit instead
2. You know he likes to call when he is behind and you complain!?
2. If you cannot bluff him why are you trying to?

unlucky513 · #3 06-21-2005, 11:17 AM

the hands you mentioned are not terrible hands heads up.

Nathan183 · #4 06-21-2005, 11:17 AM

Here is some SUPERB ADVICE:

Play with this guy as often as possible!

Don't bluff. Bet strong when you have a hand. Wait for a good spot and take his stack.

qpwoei · #5 06-21-2005, 11:23 AM

Yep what you are saying is sound advice.
I have certainly tried this method!!! It just doesnt seem to work.
You suggest playing top hands, but HU they come rarely and betting middle pairs will not get rid of him. He will call and its hard to carry through the bet when scare cards come. Playing with only one coloured chips is also no help. We have 50 each and the blinds are 1 - 2. He does not like different valued chips, maybe this is where my game suffers?
Online is a hell of a lot easier!

The Deuce · #6 06-21-2005, 11:27 AM

None of the plays you described are really that bad. Unless of course you only go all-in preflop with top five hands, and he still calls with KT, etc. Here's what you need to do. You can't not bluff heads-up, or a guy like this will eat you alive. You should be semi-bluffing constantly, being really aggressive with a lot of apparently weak hands. Like mid and bottom pair, which will be good quite a bit more often than you might expect. I raise 3 and 4x the big blind with Q5 and worse. Heads-up is all about aggression, hand-reading, and just stone cold balls. ABC poker is the last thing you need.

The Deuce · #7 06-21-2005, 11:31 AM

With such short stacks, being extremely, ridiculously aggressive is even more important. Waiting for a "good spot" will get you killed. If you're not comfortable doing things like reraising preflop all-in with like A6, you shouldn't be playing this guy under these conditions.

qpwoei · #8 06-21-2005, 11:32 AM

I do not go all in preflop a lot, i was just giveing an example - i did it in that instance because i know that he LIKES "K10, JK, Q10 etc" and so if i had AK or A10, he would call with VERY underdog hands. I do not play like this normally (online)!
If i raise 3-4x BB, he could call a flop bet with Ace high and so forth, then im in poo poo unless i hit. Anyway thanks for the help.

btetreau · #9 06-21-2005, 11:39 AM

As others have mentioned, KJ KT A8 are not bad hands heads-up, as you are ahead more often then you are behind. And with the Q8 flopped Q99 hand, him calling all-in is not bad as you've probably missed - was he right? What did you have in that hand, or was that just an example?

I think that you're not realizing the full differences between a ring/cash game of NLHE and heads-up. HU, you've got to be much more aggressive and have to be willing to risk everything on a hand like KJ or A8. Also, I found that I really need to remind myself that HU, you will both miss the flop much more often than either one of you will hit something, so you've got to semi-bluff and if you hit top pair, don't be afraid to gamble with it.

From your post it sounds like you don't think that this player will fold to the semi/not-all-in bluffs, so then just be patient, wait until you hit something on the flop, and push it all in. Or, wait until you've got an A in your hand with a decent kicker and PUSH pre-flop. I might be wrong, or someone else here might have the numbers to back this up, but if you're playing HU and you've got an A chances are very good that you are ahead. Anyone know those numbers?

Oh, and don't worry about the different color chips, the only thing to consider would be having them worth more or less than 1/50 the buy-in. HU, though, with 50 chips each I doubt it would make a difference.

Good luck, BT

btetreau · #10 06-21-2005, 11:42 AM

I'm quite curious, when you are playing him under these conditions what hands do YOU like?

What hands would you consider going all-in pre-flop with?

Under what other circumstances would you be willing to go all-in? Top pair, middle pair? Obviously this is all circumstantial and every situation is different, I'm just curious if you have limits and what they are.