Heads Up NL SNG, when the blinds are low

[Some Pig]

Very good posts from you and Ibro.

Speaking of being more aggressive in position. I've experimented with taking this to the extreme during the past 100 matches:

As per Harrington's advice I try not to fold preflop on the SB/B. But I've taken this further, I don't call either but rather raise all the time (To repeat, I NEVER fold or call on the SB/B I always raise). Specifically, if I have a hand that I normally fold or call, I minraise to twice the BB. If I have a hand I normally minraise with, I raise to three times the BB. If I have a hand that I make a standard raise with, I raise to 5 times the BB.

I expected disaster before I started doing this but in fact I am 53% ITM. I'm sure that if I improve in the other areas of heads up play (e.i. OOP play, flop and post flop play, hand reading, etc, that I would become a 60% player without ever folding or calling in position preflop)

The end effect is that while in position I'm making the limit bigger than it is. Instead of the blinds being 10-20, by making my constant raises they are in fact 30-60 while I'm in position yet when I'm out of position they are only 10-20.

Waddya guys think?

[bgoalie35]

I know what you are trying to do (and I like the idea of getting the money in when you are in position), but I don't like any strategy that says you ALWAYS have to do something. I don't mind occassionally limping in or folding from the button, just so my opponent can't peg me. In fact, if I know my opponent likes to reraise my button, I may limp in just to reraise him after his raise (especially with a good hand).

I also hate minraising.

But that's good for a short term experiment. How were you doing before you tried this?

[Some Pig]

[ QUOTE ]
But that's good for a short term experiment. How were you doing before you tried this?

[/ QUOTE ]

I was 64% for 50 matches playing normal but the matches lasted above 22 minutes on average. 44% for 50 matches using the "All-In Preconditioning" technique that I describe in a thread that I started which would probably be still in the first two pages of this forum (these matches finished much much quicker).

I'm trying to look for the strategies that end it quickly but maximize ITM at the same time.

[allstarrt]

When I play low limit heads up especially with low blind levels i find the play to be very monotonous and boring, i try to mix it up because i know i can get myself out of sticky situations as I probably only bust in the early levels once out of 10-15 times. I make my opponents almost always bust during this time. I use random bets so my opponents can not put a betting pattern tell on me. I defiantly raise more in position than out of it. I probably check my option about 85% of the time as oppose to raising on the button more than 60% of the time. Hope any of this can help as I seem to do very well in the low limits

[Some Pig]

[ QUOTE ]
When I play low limit heads up especially with low blind levels i find the play to be very monotonous and boring, i try to mix it up because i know i can get myself out of sticky situations as I probably only bust in the early levels once out of 10-15 times. I make my opponents almost always bust during this time. I use random bets so my opponents can not put a betting pattern tell on me. I defiantly raise more in position than out of it. I probably check my option about 85% of the time as oppose to raising on the button more than 60% of the time. Hope any of this can help as I seem to do very well in the low limits

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm heading in this direction as far as my HU philosophy goes. Would you mind sharing with us your ITM percentage from this approach?

Can you describe some hints about how you are able to "almost always bust" your opponents during the early levels? Are you one of those people that pre-condition your opponents with big all in moves even if the blinds are still extremely tiny?

[The_Bankroll]

early on, I play a kind of formulaic way, until I get a read on my opponent, then switch gears to whichever style I think best exploits his. early on I like to play TAG, raising the top 60% of hands, and re-raising with the top 30%. I'll also bet at about every flop while in position.

[allstarrt]

Some pig I feel as though I have a large advantage over my opponents in the early stages, I admit that my later stage play needs lots of work but fortunatly it doesn't get there very often. What I usually do in the early stages is play aggressive but not put that much chips at jeopardy. I almost never call raises when I feel I have the worst of it in an attempt to get lucky. I play position to the extreme. I will make the pots big when I feel I have the best of it and not when I don't I feel at the lower limits (under 50) this is almost always a key to success. I hope that answered your question alittle bit. And I am in no way the best at these heads up sit and go's and I didn't want to come off cocky. As for my itm for this I have a very small sample size (under 100) so i wouldnt put that much merit in the percentage but its 67% and I feel I can improve on that number

[Slappy002]

Some really great stuff in here.

Geoffh's post is pure gold IMO.

Ibuprofens strategy is very strong, but I think he needs to punish his donkeys a bit more. For lower and middle limits ($20 and less), I think bets need to be a bit bigger than what Ibuprofen suggests to get the folds you need.

I'm just emerging from a super-tilt mega spewfest at the $20+1 (-40 buyins) and I learned some very important lessons that are currently keeping me out of trouble. I'll share them with you, for what they're worth. This is actually a note I wrote to myself as kind of a self-help type thingy:

THE RULES

1. Take it easy, have fun! Your opponents don't have the sense god gave goats even at the medium buyins. Don't think too much and you'll take their money.

2. Don't get excited when you win. Don't think of how much you won.

3. Heartbreaking suckouts and sick cold decks are going to happen, repeatedly, sometimes one after another. Just chill out and keep playing straightforward common sense poker. Your opponents dont have a clue if what they're doing is right or wrong. They're not outplaying you.

4. Are you thinking hard about decisions? Are you taking notes on your opponents? If so, you're on tilt. They are morons who don't have the remotest clue what they are doing so why the are you trying to figure them out?

[Raiseren1]

Slappy I agree with you at the first 3 rules. But fourth is incorrect I think. I have a bad habit of playing without thinking. Playing like a maschine to much. But when I think about my oppenent and his likely holdings and what I should do it usually only improve my descisions. E.g. should I go for the Check-raise or bet out against this weak player. Some times you are just to used to play against Maniacs where the Check-raise is more profitable, but people are different. Some are maniacs others are calling stations and some are weak-tight.

This is my HU strategy that I have found pretty succesfull. I have been playing a little more than 100 5$ SNGs, and 80 10$ SNG. I actually don't know my exact win rate (can anyone tell me how to watch it. I have been using pokertracker, but can't find where I see win rate). But it's probably around 60-70%. Remember this is only general, and I don't follow this strategy exactely.

General

Against LAG maniacs I usually plat tight / passive. Just being patient and waiting for my chance. Im very seldom trying to rebluff or making moves.

Against thinkings LAGs (they doesn't have to be winning players, just players who try to make moves that are reasonalbe and think about my cards). I usually play aggressive as well. If they understand position and use the always raise preflop / always CB if checked to - strategy. I do the same thing as them when I am in position. Some times I make the Check-call bet any turn move when they CB for for third time in a row. I don't do that very often, but if I think they are able of laying down 2 overcards or a little pair I will use it occasionally.

I don't like the check-raise bluff, because in my experience people are more likely to call a CR where I raises 120 to 180, than a 120 bet at turn. THat is probably because 2 cards are left to be shown at the flop and only 1 card at the turn. Also if they have hand like TT on a K,8,7 board and I check-raises they will usually call. But when the turn is an ace and I bet, the chances of him folding are larger (they may off course improve or pick up a draw, but that doesn't happen very often).

Second barrel bluff. I use it when I feel it's right. It's impossible to make a general rule, when to use it and when not too. But if your oppenent a few times have been folding to a second barrel and you haven't been making any second barrel at some time, it might be a good time to use it. But really I don't do it very often. Maybe only in 25% of my matches.

If I have been taking the last few pots without showdown I usually show down. Expecting them to be impatient and play a bit more aggressive.

Against Tight players I usually play LAG.

If a player (unless he is a maniac/callingstation) check turn when I am in position and the flop was checked as well, I will bet turn around 95% of the time.

If a player has been calling my CBs a bit to much I usually raise less preflop. Maybe 10-15% of the time, and I CB the same % of the time. But now my CBs will mean a better hand. If this situation happens often, where he calls CBs. Turn goes check-check. And he bets river which I can't call. I will start checking turn with hands like: ATo on a t,7,9s,6s (a drawheavy board) where betting usually would be best. But if can catch a river bluff from him often enough it isn't very important if he draws out on me around 30% of the time.

Holding a medium good hand in position at the turn, when your oppenent checks to you and he check-called your flop bet. E.g. You have 7-8. Board is: 8-T-3-4 rainbow. Pot is 150. YOu each have 1425 left. You have seen your oppenent slowplay a few hands, and your unsure if you have the best hand. If you check turn you have a hard time calling any river bet without improving. If you bet weak. Lets say 60-75. Your oppenent will usually call if he has a draw and raise you if he has a monster and call if he has an 8 or ten. Maybe he also calls with weaker hands. By betting around 100-150 you risk more and increase the chance of him only calling with better hands or draws. When you bet turn instead of checking he is more likely to check river, because you showedstrenght by betting twice. Even if he makes his draw and he usually won't try to bluff you out of the pot. Also most draws aren't getting the right price when you bet 60-75.


Usually I raise to 55 on stars and 60 on Full tilt. Thats because it's faster to type 55 than 60, and on full tilt you can just click the pot button.
If my oppenent calls to much (more than 50% of the time) I increase the size of my raise till he calls around 50% of the time. If he calls very seldom (less than 40%), I raise a little less with my good hands (At+. A8s+.77+,Jqs+.Jk+). It is very rarely he will pick up this tell and if you have a feeling he has done that, simply start raising biger with your weaker hands as well.

Standard CB is 75. But change it to a bigger bet if he is a fish.

PLaying oop preflop with a good (good hand = you think you have a better hand than your oppenent.E.g. If he limps A5o is often the best hand. But if he raise preflop only A8o+ is a good hand hand) where you commits more than 10% of your stack. Usually push instead of call unless your oppenent is a big donkey. Example: Blinds 25-50. You have a t1000 stack and TT at the BB. He raises to 150. I think pushing generally is the best play. TT is a very good hand and you definately wanna get a call from him. But if you reraise to 450. He calls. Flop comes K,x,x. (an overcard comes around 75% of the time when holding TT). What are you gonna do now? Push ? Check? If he is a decent player he is usually gonna fold most hand if you push but not a hand that beats you.


The 10-20 level.
Usually I play only my cards preflop at this level. I do not raise with 84s preflop because I think he is weak. I usually raise with the top 20% hands. And I will CB around 80% of the time against the average player which I define as a bad player but do not have any big leaks (like always raise/overbets pots a lot/call to much e.g.).


15/30 level.
If I picked my oppenent as non donkey I usually start getting more aggressive. My standard preflop raise is to 75. I will raise around 50% of the time preflop now against oppenents cabable of laying down hands and still CB 80% of the time. Standard CB is 100.

25/50.
My favourite level. Most people tighten up at this level even maniacs who just raised to 100 preflop every hand and overbet the flop by 300% starts folding more (in my experience. There is off course a lot of expections). I pretty much never limp at this level because raising to 125 preflop (my standard raise) makes them fold so often. Standard CB is 150.

[Raiseren1]

Sorry for all the grammar errors in the last pot. Didn't really how the patient to edit it all, and my grammar really isn't good. Hope someone will discuss my strategy.