Am I a Fish 2?

[Rek]

If you think you're right carry on. I thought you wanted an honest reply. It was a monster fish and if you are at my table I hope you continue to play like that.

But why ask and then just try to justify yourself - if you were happy fine.

[good_gamble]

Ignore Rek,

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You played fine.

[/ QUOTE ]

[tacticaltal]

First thing comes to my mind was the HUGE raise you made PF. There's only $225 in the pot PF and you raised $650? to me, this would look like you didn't want a call, and I may reraise all-in right there.

Second, he CALLED the $650. What did you think he had?

All in all, I don't think a raise is bad PF, but when you get called, and hit only bottom pair (and a baby pair at that) you need to be careful. When he check raises all in, which he surely thought you would bet after that monster PF raise, you gotta get away from that hand, unless of course you think you'll river out on him ALL THE TIME.

I'm a newbie, but that's my call.

[pzhon]

Your play was fine, although I think the call on the flop was a close decision. It may not look that way to those who don't play heads up much, but it is good to raise a lot preflop, and even bottom pair is decent heads-up, plus you have the backdoor flush draw, and you don't have to call any more on later streets.

I think gutshots like T9 and 75 make up a larger fraction of your opponent's range than you expect, as well as ace-high and air.

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One more reason is I had the big stack, so I was still in even if I lost this one.

[/ QUOTE ]
This reasoning is bad. When you are heads up, whether you are the big stack or not has only the tiniest of effects on your plays, and only because of the blinds on the next hand. You don't get to take more risks when you have a big stack, although that is a common misconception. You should be playing to accumulate chips on average whether you have the big stack or not. If your opponent always plays to accumulate chips, and you take some bad gambles with a big stack, then your opponent will win more tournaments than his share of the chips, while you will win less.

[Niediam]

Folding this preflop is just bad unless the other player has been very aggressive with the BB.

[Win.by.TKo]

Looking at it, I dont really mind betting out the t750 after Villain's check on the flop. The flop could have easily missed him, with two overs being in his hand range. However, his c/r should tell you that you are likely way behind. With your stack, there is no need to risk another t3000. Fold here and still have your big stack to swing at the table later.

You are lucky that the Poker Gods granted you a reprieve.

[tacticaltal]

[ QUOTE ]
Your play was fine ... plus you have the backdoor flush draw, and you don't have to call any more on later streets.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can this really be good advice for us beginners: go ahead and call all-in since you don't have to make any future decisions, AND you may get runner-runner flush?

According to the huge call player B made PF, I have to put him on at least KQ and maybe AQ, not to mention a set.

Maybe I'm just too nervous a player? [img]/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img]

[oober]

What site has players so bad that it down to final 2 at 75/150 blinds?

Made up HH?

[tacticaltal]

[ QUOTE ]
What site has players so bad that it down to final 2 at 75/150 blinds?

Made up HH?

[/ QUOTE ]

lol, good eye!

[pzhon]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Your play was fine ... plus you have the backdoor flush draw, and you don't have to call any more on later streets.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can this really be good advice for us beginners: go ahead and call all-in since you don't have to make any future decisions, AND you may get runner-runner flush?

[/ QUOTE ]
Well, don't apply it out of context, but yes. These are important factors for playing winning poker.

[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] You generally need a much stronger made hand to call a pot-sized bet when there is more money behind than you do to call a pot-sized push.

[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] When a decision is close, factors like a backdoor draw may make the difference.

A backdoor flush draw can add 4% to your winning chances when you are behind, which makes a big difference when you are talking about getting from the 20% you have with 5 outs to the 30-33% you need to call. It doesn't bridge the gap alone, but it means your opponent does not have to be bluffing nearly as often to make calling correct. You might only need to catch your opponent bluffing 15% of the time instead of 25%, depending on your assumptions.

Similarly, it was much more reasonable to play 74s than 74o. 74s is still an underdog against a random hand, but the advantage your opponent has is much reduced. For every dollar you put in with 74o, all-in preflop against ATo, you lose about 31 cents. For every dollar you put in with 74s, you only lose about 23 cents, so you get a significant 25% discount, even though you will only make a flush about 5% more often with a suited hand. That 5% is large relative to the difference between 33% and 50%.

[ QUOTE ]

According to the huge call player B made PF, I have to put him on at least KQ and maybe AQ, not to mention a set.


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I would actually expect the player to reraise with AQ and KQ. (Trapping with KK is surprisingly reasonable.) One key point about playing heads-up is that you should adjust your standards.

If you get stuck on the full ring or 6-max starting hands, then you will play far too tightly, and give up too many blinds. You will give up too often on the flop when you wait for top pair; you'll have no pair about 2/3 of the time. When you finally hit a hand, you will often be outchipped, and your opponent will have outs... that might have happened here to the player who had KK.

A common, effective strategy is to steamroll your opponent, betting and raising very frequently. Players who don't adjust their standards will get crushed. Even if you only apply this in the first few hands when you are heads-up, you will gain a huge advantage against someone who folds too much. Pushing and calling too much can be mistakes, but not as large as folding too much when you are heads up.