Passive or Agressive?

[psari]

I was always under the impression that the player who is betting more will win more in the long run. Based on this principle I play a rather agressive game heads-up. This consists of betting at a lot of pots, and playing strong hands and draws agressively. I never limp from the small blind, usually raising, rarely folding. When I am in the BB I notice my opponents usually limping and allowing me to see many flops. I just keep betting at my opponents and trying to wear them down, while they play a passive style. Now I don't just bet and raise and fire at every opportunity, as I do pay attention to my opponents tendencies.

There must be something I am missing though, because I am a losing player. My opponent's passive style has been defeating me and it is very frustrating. I am starting to believe that I may be too agressive. If I get it in pre-flop with the best of it, I have been drawn out on a lot lately, and I know that will happen. But post-flop, I find that the plays where I am losing a lot of chips are when I fire at the flop with top pair, bet the turn as well, and then get raised on the river when an overcard comes down. I will call and my opponent will turn over top pair. Why did he call down with an overcard? Is it my image that is allowing him to call me down with less than stellar holdings?

Is it my image that is causing my opponents to play this passive style and be successful with it? Or is my strategy to careless to begin with?

Any thoughts?

[jay_shark]

Be aggressive preflop , but you have to know when to slowdown on the flop . Many times you will miss and you will be forced to check some flops . There are a ton of poker books that tell you that you should always c-bet when you're the preflop raiser , but even I learned after trail and error that this wasn't the optimal strategy . You will get check raised often by passive opponents when you're betting with air . The truth is , your hand is usually worthless when you don't connect on the flop . Ace low is marginally playable when you don't connect , but generally speaking you want a piece of the flop before you get excited about your hand .

I've been on that road too so I wish you luck !!

[XxPenguinxX]

The key to this style is to know that you're trying to play lots of small pots, winning a large percentage of them, and only play big pots when you have a big hand. To this end:

1) Bet often, but bet small (1/2 pot on average).

2) Realise that your biggest vulnerability is to slowplaying. You must learn when to stop betting.

Also - this approach doesn't work against calling stations. Try to spot them as early as possible when the blinds are small, and adjust accordingly.

[psari]

[ QUOTE ]
1) Bet often, but bet small (1/2 pot on average).

[/ QUOTE ]

So when we are heads-up, are we able to put less stock into allowing our opponent proper odds to draw? I'm assuming this due to the likeliness that he missed the flop as well...

[XxPenguinxX]

Oh, absolutely. Compared to, say, 6-max, the chances your opponent is drawing (as in the straights and flushes, rather than overcards) is much, much smaller. Because of the loose starting hand requirements, he has such a wide range of hands that potential drawing hands are a much smaller part of his range.

There are any number of non-drawing hands on, say, a Kh Th 2s flop which justify calling a bet - whereas if someone just called a bet from you on that flop in 6-max, you'd be pretty sure he was drawing to either a flush or a straight.

[psari]

Ahh, I understand,

so another question then, do you think representing these kinds of hands is futile?

For example, say the board reads 9s Ts 2d and we check/call a flop bet, the Turn comes Ks and now the board reads 9s Ts 2d Ks, and we check-raise, trying to represent a flush.... At the lower stakes would we be able to get credit for this type of hand, or will we more often be called down by a Top Pair kind of hand (or any pair for that matter)? What about at higher stakes?

Since I imagine this kind of move would have to be dependant on the opponent, the real question I have is at the lower stakes, are we able to get away with this move enough times to make it profitable?

psari

[roommate]

If you keep the pots small as already mentioned you will stay out of A LOT of trouble... but you need to realize that when most opponents raise you on the river, you'll be beaten. I think very few of your foes will play back at you with air.

One advantage to your image is that you can very quickly tighten up and see a lot of hands. Your opponents are expecting YOU to do all the betting for them... so when the cards are a little dry, and the blinds are still small (level 1 and 2) don't feel bad checking it down or limping for a dozen hands... most opponents will not realize you have tightened up and will rely on their first impressions of you being aggressive and multi-barrel firing.

You *CAN* win by playing aggressive... just: keep it small... know when to slow down... fold to river raises (most of the time)... beware of limp-raises preflop (fold most of the time)... and use your image to your advantage (they'll turn into callstations and you'll be able to check for free cards)

best of luck... welcome to the forum

~rob

[psari]

[ QUOTE ]
You *CAN* win by playing aggressive...

[/ QUOTE ]

So are you saying that this is not an optimal way to play heads-up SNG's? Or are you merely stating that this is one of many styles that CAN be profitable if applied correctly?

Sorry for all of the questions, I am very new when it comes to heads-up play, and I feel kind of lost sometimes...

Also, thanks for having me, this seems like an excellent place to discuss poker theory and strategy, and I only wish I had become a part of this community sooner.

[jay_shark]

Hey Psari , i'm from Toronto too .

I hope you're female :P

[psari]

Yesss guy,

Sorry I am a dude... You work or go to school?