Turbo HUSNGs Big Picture Strategy
 

Say you have the option of choosing between the following two strategies:

(Deep we'll say is 50bb+)

1. Play very tight/aggressive while the stacks are deep to create a tight image. As the stacks become more shallow (level 2+), loosen up and take advantage of your image. You can steal the blinds more, and will be able to take down the large postflop pots more often (which are the most important).

2. Play very loose/aggressive while the stacks are deep because you can afford to splash around and see flops in position. Create a fairly loose image, and when the stacks become more shallow, use this image to get villain to get a lot of chips in with a weak hand. Here, you know your image, and won't over commit yourself with marginal hands.

What does your strategy more closely resemble? Which type of opponent would you rather play against? Which do more successful players use? Without considering your opponent's style, what other big picture strategies exist?

I definitely play strategy #2, but I'm not so sure its better than strategy #1.

Thoughts?

Re: Turbo HUSNGs Big Picture Strategy
 

I have played strategy 2 exclusively and I've decided it's not for me right now. I play at low buy-ins and I don't really have enough experience to maximize this strategy. I'm moving to strategy 1 and slowly move to 2 as I move up in limits.

Re: Turbo HUSNGs Big Picture Strategy
 

I want to say that for cash games, #2 is better, but I can't explain why.

In HUSNGs where in Level 3 its a max of 30bb effective stacks, it seems like you'll profit more with #1. Even at higher stakes, I don't think I can make a good argument for why #2 is better.

Re: Turbo HUSNGs Big Picture Strategy
 

Definitely #2, IMO. I think there is certainly middle ground, but approaching any HU match with a "very tight" mindset will lead to any good player pushing you around a lot.

-- Collin

Re: Turbo HUSNGs Big Picture Strategy
 

Something to consider: In pretty much every "pro" HU video I have seen they start with #1 to build their image then switch to #2 once they get to know their opponent.

Re: Turbo HUSNGs Big Picture Strategy
 

[ QUOTE ]
Definitely #2, IMO. I think there is certainly middle ground, but approaching any HU match with a "very tight" mindset will lead to any good player pushing you around a lot.

-- Collin

[/ QUOTE ]

You didn't really offer any kind of argument with respect to the stacks and the length of the blind levels which are definitely relevant.

I can see in a cash game - yes, but SNG no. I think the BB you gain from having a tight image when the blinds are high is greater than the BB you gain from playing loose for 5 minutes with 50bb+ stacks.

Re: Turbo HUSNGs Big Picture Strategy
 

[ QUOTE ]
Something to consider: In pretty much every "pro" HU video I have seen they start with #1 to build their image then switch to #2 once they get to know their opponent.

[/ QUOTE ]

Again -- you're probably remembering cash videos, right? Cardrunners only has a few HUSNG videos.

Re: Turbo HUSNGs Big Picture Strategy
 

Level 3: maniac.

I did try something that resembles level one for about 15 games, but it made my decisions way harder.

I don't know what most successful players generally use as I don't find myself versus one too often, but it is one that I play against and I feel like they know how to react to me. I don't really believe that there is a pigeon-hole style that works best. Just play, adjust, re-adjust, adjust. I think that quickly attacking my opponent works on two levels. The first is that they have no idea what I am doing at first, and the second is that by the time they do react, I have already set a dozen traps for them to fall into. I try not to think about "later," as I open my game up more at the 15/30 level, and pray I don't see the 50/100s. I think that the best way to play is to think about "now" if there is a time-limit and you know you aren't going to be playing the person in the near future. I don't think that many players adjust fast enough, they simply try to trap me into bluffing them. Big picture strategy for me is to get the game over with ASAP, in less than 50 hands.

Re: Turbo HUSNGs Big Picture Strategy
 

[ QUOTE ]
I want to say that for cash games, #2 is better, but I can't explain why.

In HUSNGs where in Level 3 its a max of 30bb effective stacks, it seems like you'll profit more with #1. Even at higher stakes, I don't think I can make a good argument for why #2 is better.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree to this with a caveat. If you change 'very tight' to 'conservative/keeping the pot small' then I'd feel better about it.

A lot of opponents seem to think that if you're not aggressive then by default you're tight, and that is obviously far from the truth.

Re: Turbo HUSNGs Big Picture Strategy
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Something to consider: In pretty much every "pro" HU video I have seen they start with #1 to build their image then switch to #2 once they get to know their opponent.

[/ QUOTE ]

Again -- you're probably remembering cash videos, right? Cardrunners only has a few HUSNG videos.

[/ QUOTE ]

The SNG videos kind of suck in my opinion, but even in those I've noticed this at least to some extent.