I hate being heads up

pokerjunky · #1 01-28-2005, 01:20 AM

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (10 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
Hero raises, 1 fold, UTG+2 calls, 7 folds.

Flop: (5.50 SB) 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets, UTG+2 calls.

Turn: (3.75 BB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets, UTG+2 calls.

River: (5.75 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets, UTG+2 raises, Hero folds.

Final Pot: 8.75 BB

Does anybody have a secret for playing heads up? I've tried everything in the book from betting to raising to checking to folding the flop, the turn, and the stinkin river and I get my a** handed to me every time.

What's a good default play for these situations because I'm totally lost?

lil' · #2 01-28-2005, 01:26 AM

The flop is a miss, but it may be for your opponent too, so betting here is pretty standard with two overs and backdoor draws.

On the turn, betting is again OK sometimes, as a lot of players love to peel one off. When he calls again, you have to start to wonder what he has and why he is just calling along.

Generally, firing the third bluff on the river is a waste in these spots. He has shown he is going to call, and you can't even beat an ace high call down.

jonahmavesin · #3 01-28-2005, 01:28 AM

By the way, I'd limp PF there.

Harv72b · #4 01-28-2005, 01:32 AM

The default play changes with the opponent.

If your opponent is the type that will call down with any piece of the board (or a pocket pair), there's not much use in bluffing the turn...you can check/fold unimproved there.

If your opponent is weak/tight, give him the chance to fold on every street and fold to a raise.

Against an unknown, I take a line similar to yours, except that I check/fold the river with KQ--if he doesn't have some sort of made hand, he's at least got an ace in the hole. I'm not willing to risk a bet every time hoping that I fold that ace.

Of course you have to mix your play up from time to time to avoid someone keying in on the pattern & exploiting it, but this is what I've settled on for now.

Caveat--I'm often lost in HU situations, too, so if someone else tells you different, you probably want to listen to them. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Monty Cantsin · #5 01-28-2005, 01:34 AM

Jonah, I believe the standard take on QKo UTG is that it can be a raise call or even fold depending on various factors. The tables I play raise it just about always.

Pokerjunky, I agree with lil and Harv. Check/fold the river.

/mc

jonahmavesin · #6 01-28-2005, 01:38 AM

fair enough. so long as poster is thinking along those nuances. and you're right, it does look like a fairly tight table, so the raise is effective here.

captZEEbo1 · #7 01-28-2005, 02:09 AM

raise utg with KQo is fine. check-fold river is probably better with no read.

Derek in NYC · #8 01-28-2005, 02:20 AM

There is a concept in judo of when somebody pushes you, instead of pushing back, you pull him in. Similarly, if someone pulls you in, instead of pulling back, you step into his pull. It's a concept of imbalancing your opponent so he overcommits (at which point, you throw him, and make your ippon, or point).

I think this concept applies very much to heads up play. Many times, I take pots away from people by applying minimum force on the flop (i.e., check calling), then applying maximum force on the turn (check raising).

The success of this depends A LOT on the characteristics of your opponent, and whether he is insanely aggressive, and tends to bet position relentlessly. The prior action is also important. Other factors of key importance are: whether you are in the blind and could be expected to hold some crapola card, whether the board is scary, like double paired, multiple broadway, coordinated, etc., and the 4th street scare card.

A bit namby pamby and hard to understand, but if you study any of the martial arts like judo, or aikido, you'll understand.

jonahmavesin · #9 01-28-2005, 02:28 AM

Fantastic post. As was your post in the very long Evan vs. bdkclash post. Thanks for the clarity and insight.

But the relevant follow-up question for this poster is, how does one defend against that Judo action? Here, Hero is the pusher, and the Villain is very expertly applying minimum force. The natural instinct is to push harder, which, obviously and demonstrated here, doesn't work - you either get stunned by a check raise or soft-pulled all the way to a showdown of unimproved overcards.

Derek in NYC · #10 01-28-2005, 02:28 AM

im sorry is this sarcastic, or not, i cant tell