HU NL Cash Advice

[Nichomacheo]

Hey,

I'm a successful Heads Up SNG player on PokerStars and I am considering adding FTP's Heads Up Cash (NL) to my resume. That being said, I have never played a single cash game in my life.

For everyone who has played, what advice would you offer someone? Think about if you could give yourself advice when you first started playing -- what would you say? What would you have done differently?

Also, I'm curious about the numbers. If there is another thread that has already answered this, please point me in the right direction. Say I 2-table NL100 to start with. Say I can devote 3 hours per day to doing this. How much can a good heads up player expect to make? If this is too player dependent, how about this: how many hands/hour can I expect per table? Whats a "good" winrate (bb/100) for NL100, 200, 400?

Thank you much,
Nichomacheo

[Wu36]

>200 hands per table/hr is standard and over 10bb/100 is possible for good players (ive only played 100 and 200nl)

[Mibbbbbbb....]

I'd say for most part play straightforward predictable poker and pick your spots.

Don't start making crazy calls and bluffs when the cards are not coming.

You can just leave and pick somebody else, when you're against a good opponent.

You HAVE to adjust to your opponents, but don't get too carried away from your standard solid game.

I think getting too agressive and trying to be way too unpredictable at these stakes is bit overrated. Patient and solid thinking is the key.

[Kidling]

I had a tough transition to hu cash games on ftp. It amazed me how much trouble I had with the lack of structure of a hu cash game. I found I was playing to long of sessions, tilting to easily, and generally just not in control. These are things I never had trouble with in sngs.

That being said I think a player of your ability will find hu cash games much more profitable then the comparable sngs. Just remember to start slow and develop a solid game selection and playing schedule that suits your game and temperament.

[jsnipes28]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd say for most part play straightforward predictable poker and pick your spots.

Don't start making crazy calls and bluffs when the cards are not coming.

You can just leave and pick somebody else, when you're against a good opponent.

You HAVE to adjust to your opponents, but don't get too carried away from your standard solid game.

I think getting too agressive and trying to be way too unpredictable at these stakes is bit overrated. Patient and solid thinking is the key.

[/ QUOTE ]

this is a really good post.

i would reiterate: GAME SELECTION
PLAY IDIOTS, SHORTSTACKS ETC. If you play someone who is decent and lose 2-3 buyins, stop and find another opponent. There are too many morons to get in a variance war w/ another decent opponent (esp one who is running good)

[whaahhahahah]

if you're getting angry, just quit the session or at least leave that table. it's easy to take things personally hu and to get pissed at the other person (and yourself).

i agree with the game selection stuff -- there are idiots at 5/10 and solid players at 1/2. the quality of play at each level varies so much more than 6max.

also, starting out, i think most people have two gears: aggressive and i need to win every pot aggressive. with game selection, these are probably the most profitable ways to play, but developing a tight game is something a lot players seem to neglect.

last thing: sometimes people just catch cards -- they're not necessarily running you over, and you don't have to take it personally.

[ChicagoRy]

Nicho, if you can't keep yourself from sitting with 2+2ers on this forum in HUSNGs, what makes you think you can game select in HU cash?

[imfatandugly]

as far as winrate gos your playing a much larger percentage of your hands so hypothetically if your better than your opponent you should win much more per hundred hands. That being said i'd say anywhere between 5-8ptbb/100 is a good long term winrate. playing 3 tables, thats 600 hands per hour, at 1/2 that ranges between 120 an hour and 180 an hour. if your two tabling between 80 and 120.
If your playing .5/1 then multiply those numbers by about 1.2.

If I were to give myself advice at the beginging of playing heads up it would be to be more agressive on the button (raise every time you play a pot) and be more inclined to reraise or fold (passive agressive) when your out of position. Not to say that you shouldn't see flops oop but definately play more conservatively than you would on the button.

Hand reading is also alot more important than in your typical sng what with the larger stacks and all. This ofcourse comes with time, but it always helps to review hands and pay attention to your opponents tendencys.
Definately play the player. I've found that inducing bluffs against the right kind of player is hugely profitable against the right kind of player. Some people are nitty and you just have to be careful and slowly grind them down. Some people are rediculous with the bet pot button, especially with their weaker holdings.

Girls suck to play heads up.

[imfatandugly]

Also, if your trying to become a better player i'd throw all that game selection crap out the window especially if your just starting off. You get better by playing better opponents. Also if you develope any amount of skill heads up you will find that (at this level) most people arent very good. So short term your winrate will gone down a bit but long term if you just play with whoever you sit down with, you'll be better off in the long run and will still make a pretty damn good hourly rate.

sorry one more thing. maybe this is just me but i find that short sessions are alot easier. if you want to play 3 hrs a day break it up into 3 chunks. it takes a hell of alot of concentration to play 2-3 tables heads up. give your brain a break.

[Nichomacheo]

Very very good advice. I'm going to make a little sheet with the advice in this thread and post it on my monitor, so if I'm ever getting out of line I can take a look at it and hopefully regain my senses.

Question for whahaha, but any advice is welcome. I saw a screen shot of your HUD layout once on your blog (last time I checked it had been removed). You had stats covering your FTP window. Do you recommend something similar? How would you adjust for the average NL100 game? What does everybody else think?