(razztoberfest) A few heads up hands

[RustyBrooks]

So I had an overwhelming chip lead towards the end of razztoberfest and I lost it. I want to post a few hands, together if that's OK, and get some thoughts on them. I have almost no experience with heads up razz, and nearly no experience in a tournament context.

Post-edit: I'm looking at these and although they're all "big" hands in terms of percentages of chip-stacks that switched hands, they are not "big" hands in terms of BB. The biggest pot in these 3 hands was 6bb. I may be focusing on the wrong hands here, I really might have been outplayed in the dozens of smaller hands I'm not posting.

Hand 1:
OK both of us were folding to raises on 3rd a lot and he'd folded to almost every premium hand I'd had, I decided to slowplay it a little and see if I could lure him into making a bet. I felt I achieved this and that I had a small lead on 4th and got him to put in a significant portion of his stack not knowing where I was at. I don't know what his actual down cards were here, either I was a small favorite or a HUGE favorite on 4th.

Should I have fired again on the river? I am representing a much better T than him, but he could have improved to a 9, plus even if he has T9 he might have to call on the end here. Were any streets up to that awful (forget for the moment that I should have probably raised 3rd)

Tournament - Razz (1,500/3,000), Ante 250, Bring-In 500 (converter)

Seat 1: 12,356
Hero: 20,644

3rd Street - (0.33 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___brings-in
Hero: 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___calls

4th Street - (1.00 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___bets___calls
Hero: 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___checks___raises

5th Street - (2.50 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___bets
Hero: 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___calls

6th Street - (4.50 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___calls
Hero: 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___bets

River - (6.50 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] xx___checks
Hero: 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___checks

Total pot: (6.50 BB - 19,500)




Hand 2:
This is actually his first comeback hand, after I crippled him badly in the previous hand, I think. Too gambly? I don't figure I'm ahead but ending it right here would be nice.
Tournament - Razz (1,200/2,400), Ante 200, Bring-In 400 (converter)

Seat 1: 3,728
Hero: 29,272

3rd Street - (0.33 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___brings-in
Hero: Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___calls

4th Street - (1.00 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___bets
Hero: Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___checks___calls

5th Street - (1.50 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___bets 1,928 (all-in)
Hero: Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___checks___calls

6th Street - (3.11 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___all-in
Hero: Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

River - (3.11 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] xx___all-in
Hero: Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

Total pot: (3.11 BB - 7,456)



Hand 3:
Could I have picked this up with a bet on 5th? My hand sucks and I think maybe this is too clearly telegraphed with my check on 4th. Is calling 7th too awful given the check check checkiness of it all?

Tournament - Razz (1,500/3,000), Ante 250, Bring-In 500 (converter)

Seat 1: 21,356
Hero: 11,644

3rd Street - (0.33 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___brings-in___calls
Hero: 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___completes

4th Street - (2.33 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___checks
Hero: 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___checks

5th Street - (1.17 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___checks
Hero: 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___checks

6th Street - (1.17 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___calls
Hero: 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___bets

River - (3.17 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] xx___bets
Hero: 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___checks___calls

Total pot: (5.17 BB - 15,500)

[adanthar]

hand 1: third is terrible, fourth is FPS'y but turned out OK, sixth is OK, seventh can go either way

hand 2 is terrible all around, fold third and prob even fourth, too

hand 3: bet fifth

there are some tricks to HU razz I won't talk about but never limping in is a really basic one of those

[chucky]

Hand 2 fold 3rd. The fundamental difference in my mind between playing stud variants HU in a tourney versus holdem/plo is that stud variants the value of pot comes from antes and bring-ins, which unless you are extremely short stacked relative to the level are much less of your stack. In holdem you may raise or call a raise with a wider range because the antes+blinds amount to much of one's stack. In plo, hand values preflop run together so calling raises with non-nut hands can be justified sometimes.

[Sp00n]

if you have any HU questions pm them to me, I'd rather not broadcast to everyone optimal play.

[Praxising]

Hand 1 - fold 5th. You would in a cash game, why play it differently now? He was drawing to a 9, you were drawing to a 10. You want to PROTECT YOUR STACK.

Hand 2 - fold 3rd

When they are this short, you know they are going all-in. <u>You</u> pick the hand to do that with and so you wait for one that has real showdown potential. You don't give 'em anything.

Hand 3 - fold 4th.

HU means you have a lot LESS information to make a decision with on 3rd - no upcards to see but one - just one opponent. The hard thing is to be MORE patient here - tighter and willing to wait. You fold your way to victory.

[greyhawke54]

I am not entirely sure that I agree with the last part. One of the big things that I did here was steal the ante and bring constantly. That was the fuel that kept me going. With the slightest resistance from him when I had a non premium hand I bailed a lot of times. Or when he caught good and I caught bad and he bet. I bailed. If he would have played back at me just a little bit more the results might have been different. Sure he might have had trash underneath, but so did I quite a few times. I just had a better upcard and raised it. Almost everytime he had the bring in I raised him.

[Praxising]

[ QUOTE ]
I am not entirely sure that I agree with the last part. One of the big things that I did here was steal the ante and bring constantly. That was the fuel that kept me going. With the slightest resistance from him when I had a non premium hand I bailed a lot of times.

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't mean not to steal - Razz is theft. But when you bailed, and I watched the whole rest of the final table, you were folding your way to a win. The only times you played back were the times you really had the advantage.

IMO (which is from one who lost) your strategy might have proved fatal with a more experienced player, who would have challenged you more. (Not referring to self) But I also noted that you were one of the more elastic players, able to alter your strategy in response to others' play, so I'm not sure in this game on this day you were beatable by anyone.