HU SNG - Strategy discussion for the first stage.

[El helado Patata]

First off, I want to say that I agree that most poker strategies is not as easy to put up rules like (always CB on flop etc) but I am not THAT against it if you are ready to modify the rule if necessary.

Today I was thinking about if it would be a good strat to raise it up 3x on the button and then bet 150 into the 180 (on BM where I prefer to play) pot and then bet like 333 into the 480 pot until you reach a 2000 vs 1000-advantage (usually happens when the guy calls you pf and then folds on the flop 4-5 times) and be in a great shape when the blinds goes up to 25/50 and above.

It is a bit robotic but what I feel is that it is hard to adjust too considering that the opponent doesnt really know that the guy that raises and bets on the flop for the third time doesnt really have anything. And even thou the guy get suspicious he still cannot call you down with absolutly nothing. And when he realizes that you where just stealing then you have already suceeded in your goal of getting the chipadvantage most of the time (if the guy doesnt not hit anything real good).

Advantages with that play in the beginning:
You usually get a substantial chiplead when succesful.
You get this loosemegaaggrobluffy-image that you can capitalize when you reached your goal.
It is hard to counteract the strategy before its too late.
It also speeds up the average time (=increase hourly profit) of the SNG, preferably if you actually hit something nice and get called down or get reraised and lose.

Callingstations
When I tried this tactic today it became apparent that a few people just call down on the flopbet everytime. If you notice that the guy appears to be a callingstation then I suggest that you calm down after attempting to steal 2 hands and just play 'normally'.

The last thing I wanted to say is that this is something that I basically came up with today and not really "My way to success at HU SNGs" so I am fine with disagreements (well, I usually am anyway).

[MychCumstien]

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It is a bit robotic but what I feel is that it is hard to adjust too considering that the opponent doesnt really know that the guy that raises and bets on the flop for the third time doesnt really have anything.

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You're right. This is very robotic strategy, and likewise, very exploitable. Any decent player will pick up on this strat relatively quickly and defeat it.

You'll get 3 bet frequently, and slow played frequently as well; and in some cases this strat will cost you most of your stack on a very marginal hand in a pot you shouldn't have been involved with in the first place.

I know, because I see people employ this strat quite a bit actually. I usually just let them bet my hand for me. I also loosen my calling requirements and my 3 betting requirements substantially.

People keep trying to apply a constant set of "rules" to HU poker. The fact is, there are no rules. It's organized chaos; like fire. You need to adjust to the ebbs and flows, and play the player. There is no "one" strat that will allow you to dominate HU play.

I think one of the "biggest" mistakes beginners make is blowing up pots with marginal hands. Why not get in cheap, and see a cheap flop? Once you see the flop, you've seen 70% of the hand, vs. only 30% of the hand PF. This is a much better spot to make your decisions, vs. unchecked PF aggression.

"This aggression will not stand... man?" - El Duderino

Ok, enough of my tyrate [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I'm trying to be constructive [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

If you want a solid strat, try this... play small pots; hammer your opponents in position, i.e. play your button aggressively; make your plays based on the villain's style, hand reading, and texture of the board [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Have fun!

[akb]

nah, this is going in the right direction but will not work. be aggressive, yeah. but dont say "im going to double-barrel every pot for the first 10 hands" cus that will never work. play small pots to start, play your button super aggressively, and learn to make reads. you'll find that if you are smart-aggressive most of the times you'll get a 2:1 lead by the second level anyways.

create that maniac image, but do it with control. you'll figure out how the other guy plays within a couple flops and then you can adjust from there.

[El helado Patata]

Thanks for you input Mych.

The advantage for this strat according to me is that there is not really a chance for adjusting if you only use this play 4-5 times and then play normal. (I take the example again), if a guy raises 3x preflop and bets 150 into 180 the third time in a row then you do not really have enough hands to adjust your play to. The guy has only showed this 'pattern' two times b4 and you cannot really adjust your play based on that low amount of data.

And I also want to highlight this:

"First off, I want to say that I agree that most poker strategies is not as easy to put up rules like (always CB on flop etc) but I am not THAT against it if you are ready to modify the rule if necessary."

What I meant by that is that you should adjust if your opponent falls into these 2 categories.

1) A callingstation. You should then go back to a more selective aggressive style.

2) The reraiser/the good player that actually does reraise you.

The second category is like 2% of your opponents really. Even thou some guys are still winning HU SNG-players they still tend to throw away anything below TP on the flop with a 150 into 180-bet.

Usually, the only guys that reraise preflop or raise you on the turn are the yberaggros (the same typ of guys that keep overraising you all in) and you have to slow down to those guys too.

And the last thing I want to add is that I just want to argue about this strat a bit more, not prove that my thought is right.

[PLO8FaceKilla]

It will work against some players im sure, especially if they don't get a good hand for a while and don't realise what you are doing until they are down 2000/1000...

but everytime ive won a HU on the first or 2nd hand it's been b/c ive played someone doing that.

[MychCumstien]

what type are we talking about here? turbos? or regular? regardless, the first couple of levels, the blinds are tiny, so it's going to take a little while to chip your opponent down as you suggest. Unless they are a complete calling station, and give their chips to you. More than likely, if they are good, they'll stay out of your way until they pick up a hand, then either 3 bet you, or smooth call and suck you in, i.e. let you bet their hand for them, and they'll devestate your stack in the process.

Again, most solid HU players aren't going to comply with your strategy. They'll give up small pots to you, and take big ones off of you.

Also, if you're only planning this at the very beginning of SNG's, I think you're looking at very high variance here, as you're not taking your opponent's strength into consideration, i.e. if you walk into AA first hand. Then you've just chipped yourself down to 1/2 a stack (or worse)most likely, based on your strategy.

Now if your opponent isn't good; then maybe they will not adjust. But regardless, if you're only talking the first several hands, it's not as much about playing the player, but playing their hands, as they have no info on you yet. And again, I think your strat will be high variance, in that you will often be blowing up pots with the worst of it.

If you really feel compelled to do this strat, then I would at least do it with playable hands; they don't have to be great, but there is a lot more value in your raising them on the button with a hand like 9,7 than with a hand like 92o, i.e. if you're going to raise with trash and bully the guy, at least pick hands that might be able to improve if and when you get called.

Anyway, that's just a thought. I'm personally not a fan of your strat proposal, but to each their own [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]