Heads up stud pointers

[2handed]

I basically just play it really aggro but are there any good strategies or things to keep in mind against a standard, non-crazy opponent?

[Sevenfold]

Basically you are just looking to confuse your opponenet, getting them to 'check and call' mode against you. When you've done that, you decide when the money goes into the pot.

Lots of betting mixed in with checkraises early.

Remember, if the antes are small, you arent picking that much up per hand. 10 steals in a row get wiped out if you keep betting no hand into his pair of 7s to the river.

[SweetLuckyMe]

There is no one way to play stud heads up. Depends totally on the tendencies of your opponent. You can't maximize winrate without fully exploiting whatever mistakes your opponent brings to the table.

[*TT*]

There is a great chapter about playing SCS short in SCSFAP, read that first..

Then you have to start thinking about the size of the pot. If you are the forced bet you are generally getting somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.75:1 when the villain completes, which is a small overlay but worthy of playing on in some pots where you can win the next street if you improve so look for marginal calls, they are fine to make.

If you are first to act then you at a huge disadvantage in one way, and an advantage in another because you must lay the odds by completing the bet while it costs more than the size of the pot to steal the antes in most situations - but you also have the advantage of being able to steal easily although its at a greater financial risk.

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

[2handed]

Thanks TT,
One strategy I tried to employ was to bringin- raise my opponent alot when I had a pair and occasionally when I didnt, especially when the rank of our door cards was close. Should this be a standard part of razz/stud heads up play? I lay him good odds to continue (better than 3:1) with this play so it seems more effective against opponents who will often fold to a bet on fourth street unimproved.

[*TT*]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks TT,
One strategy I tried to employ was to bringin- raise my opponent alot when I had a pair and occasionally when I didnt, especially when the rank of our door cards was close. Should this be a standard part of razz/stud heads up play? I lay him good odds to continue (better than 3:1) with this play so it seems more effective against opponents who will often fold to a bet on fourth street unimproved.

[/ QUOTE ]

Simple: Big hands play big pots. Little hands play little pots.

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

[Andy B]

If you're used to playing shorthanded limit hold'em, one thing to keep in mind is that the initial pot in a shorthanded stud game is proportionally smaller. In a standard $15/30 hold'em game, the initial pot is $25 whether there are two players or ten. In a $15/30 stud game, the initial pot is $21 in a full game but only $9 in a heads-up game. So stealing isn't as important in a shorthanded stud game.

I recommend that you avoid playing big pots with no pair and no draw. This is experience talking here.

[lstream]

There have been a few posts about stealing not being as important financially in a short handed game. While this may be true, I think it overlooks the mental part of the game. I find that relentless stealing frustrates certain opponents and induces over aggressiveness with marginal hands. If you cut back on the stealing, they are also more likely to properly put you on a hand when you have something.

If you have the discipline to get out early when you are caught red handed, then lots of stealing can set you up for big pots every once in a while. It can also put some opponents on tilt when you catch big hands and they label you as a lucky fish that plays junk. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[SCSTWG]

My approach has always been simple: I let my opponent win the small pots and I win the big ones.

[Poker CPA]

Stick to simple solid stud. Beats mental every time.