A long-time coming Pooh-Bah post on HU play, Part I

[MrWookie]

[ QUOTE ]
In two of my matches, I was suprised to see opponenets who would never complete from the SB. Infact, in one of the matches the person pretty much followed a raise or fold srategy from the SB. What do you guys say?

Also, what should your PF strategy against a Maniac HU?

[/ QUOTE ]

As I may have implied earlier, I prefer a raise or fold preflop strategy out of the SB/Button. Naturally I'll call in BB.

[OziBattler]

nice post Str8.
[ QUOTE ]
Second in, do you 3-bet or just call a raise? Some people I’ve reviewed 3-bet when they have a full ring 3-betting hand. I think this is a mistake as it gives your range away. In full ring, we 3-bet with a very narrow band of hands (in general, TT+, AQ+, AJs+ in LP – top 5% of hands). In 6-max, our range expands to 77+, A9s+, AJo+, KJs+, KQo in LP (top 9% of hands). Therefore, I think the 3-betting range should be larger than this for HU play. Just to throw this range out there for discussion only, maybe 55+, A5s+, A8o+, K8s+, KTo+? That’s a total of the top 17% of the hands. I think showing down a 3-bet hand like J9s once or twice could lead your opponent to think that you’re 3-betting a much larger range than what is shown here as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

Personally, and it might just be a personal thing, and not necessarily the right play...I dont like that large a range as you are OOP which for me counts for a lot.

In the HU games ive played ive had some opponents who have been 3betting lots in the BB and personally I didnt find it a problem to play AGAINST someone with a wide betting range as long as I was able to adjust. In a strange way, I find that if my opponent 3 bets with a large range OOP it gives MY hand deception and I still wield the power of position position position. i realise that sounds pretty twisted to not want to push a likely edge preflop but it works for me....it all depends. [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

I think if you are a bit tighter with your 3 bet range then you actually leave your opponent guessing when you just call his raise because he wont know be able to put you on a hand....also, for example, if I start off not 3 betting the lower end of a given range then my opponent will start to freeze up when I 3 bet and I am then able to 3bet more and push him off hands more easily. I can also 'just call' with a big hand once in a while and get paid off well.

Honestly, I think its a personal choice and the the big decisions in HU concern postflop play.

note: Im all for 'advertising' a potentially marginal hand at various times in a match but thats a different beast to always 3 betting a wide range.

[Smurph64]

If you fold preflop because you play within a range of cards and your opponent doesn't how can you overcome the bets that you are losing in your postflop play?

[BenA]

[ QUOTE ]
If you fold preflop because you play within a range of cards and your opponent doesn't how can you overcome the bets that you are losing in your postflop play?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, against an opponent who will play pretty much 100% of his hands PF, then I start to think of my range more as I play everything but absolute trash. If you every once in a while fold your stupid 72o, you are less predictable against an opponent who always calls or raises but never folds. No, you can't play a ring game PF, but you also can't just fight back 100% of the time with anything.

In HU, the flop often becomes the real 1st match, since preflop is so ridiculously loose (depending on your opponent.) But if you do come across an opponent who plays a 'tight' range, you automatically profit by raising almost everything PF. But against the 100% VPIP player, playing everything back at them is not automatically the best strategy. But you should play most of your hands. The bottom line is, 'range' is still important.

[Smurph64]

If you fold the small blind 10% of the time that is 2.5bb/100 you are giving up correct?

[Str8Fish]

100 hands, you play 50 SB's. A SB is 0.25 a BB. You fold 10% of the time...

50SB*(0.25BB/1SB)*10%/100hands = 0.0125 BB/100

- BB = Big Bet, not big blind.

[bbbushu]

[ QUOTE ]

In the HU games ive played ive had some opponents who have been 3betting lots in the BB and personally I didnt find it a problem to play AGAINST someone with a wide betting range as long as I was able to adjust . In a strange way, I find that if my opponent 3 bets with a large range OOP it gives MY hand deception and I still wield the power of position position position. i realise that sounds pretty twisted to not want to push a likely edge preflop but it works for me....it all depends. [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

I think if you are a bit tighter with your 3 bet range then you actually leave your opponent guessing when you just call his raise you are a bit tighter with your 3 bet range then you actually leave your opponent guessing when you just call his raise because he wont know be able to put you on a hand....


[/ QUOTE ]

if you think your opponent is 3betting a wide range, am i correct to understand your adjustment as "call every preflop reraise"?

if you 3bet a "tight" range (what range would you be talking about here, btw) from the big blind, how would you ever get paid off when you're lucky enough to have a strong hand OOP? the addition of a few more 'undeserving' hands into a 3bet range is not necessarily for value (although it might be if they're pushing 100% of their hands) but to add deception to your re-raises which waters down the disadvantages of being OOP half the time and helps you earn a few more bets when you actually have the goods. for example, if you only re-raise 10-12% of your hands (like 88+ AT+ KQ+ KJ+ KTs+ QJs+ and JTs+) your opponent will know to fold unless they really connect with the flop.

i haven't thought about it as much but it also seems like a mistake to only 3 bet those hands that have showdown value because if they notice, you'll be in a lot of awkward spots on the river when the board is all rags and you can't tell the difference between a value bet and a bluff.

str8fish, i really like your post and am glad it's getting some more discussion.
bshoe

[Str8Fish]

thanks bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbshoe... I'm working on Part 2 at the moment (when I really should be doing some research).

[bbbushu]

i'm reading and thinking about Part 1 when i really should be doing some research, myself.

stupid debate season.

[Smurph64]

you don't divide the 100 hands and then divide it again.


5 sb's you lose in 100 hands that is 1.25 bb/100, I mucked up the bb and the big bet.

That is still a big handicap.