Hi, Last tournament I reached heads-up and the situation was as follows:
Me: 6.450 Opp: 34.050 Blinds: 800/1600
First hand, my opp all-in and I fold. Next hand, I raise 3xBB with crap and my opp all-in. I fold. Next hand, all-in and I fold.
What's happening? It's seems that my opponent has decided to go all-in with any hand. First question: it's a good idea?
What's next? I folded every time, having crap but sometimes K5 or similar. Do I play wrong?
Of course, I call next all-in, I had Q8 against J7 and J appears in turn and I went out. But ... could I have done anymore or I was dead at the beginning?
heads up short stack you should of just gone all in put pressure back on him you couldnt do much with the chips you had folding was not really good just push and hope you get lucky next time,
Joined: Feb '08
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 1886
Your post doesn't make sense. You have 6450 and the blinds are 1600. So you have four bb left +50. You fold one big blind. Next hand raise 3 - you're already all in but fold to his all in Next hand you fold the big blind again. How exactly?
Anyway you clearly have no idea how to play heads up. Your op can afford to put you all in twice. This means that if every all in is a race he is likely to beat you just by going all-in each hand. With fold equity as well he is obviously going to bully you since it is harder to call with medium hands than go all in with them.
Imo you should be avoiding calling with K6 where you could be dominated by K10 and call all in with any two low close or suited cards. He is unlikely to have a pair so your odds of doubling up are probly 30 70 at worst. When you act first and have less than five bb you should go all in any picture card and put the pressure on him to call.
You will need a lot of luck to come back at this point heads up but you can improve your odds by playing smart. You only need to double up three times allowing for folding some hands so it is possible. But you can't wait for two high cards in this situation.
Posted by awood88: Your post doesn't make sense. You have 6450 and the blinds are 1600. So you have four bb left +50. You fold one big blind. Next hand raise 3 - you're already all in but fold to his all in Next hand you fold the big blind again. How exactly?
Joined: Feb '09
Location: Belgium
Age: 34 (M)
Posts: 686
Lol you raise three time the blind and fold then... not a good idea : raising three time the blind mean you put 4800... its near your stack : here there is only one strategy till you reach 8-10 blinds : push or fold (push with any king, any ace... push with J9, Q9 or better too or suited connectors)
Posted by Tchungpo: Lol you raise three time the blind and fold then... not a good idea : raising three time the blind mean you put 4800... its near your stack : here there is only one strategy till you reach 8-10 blinds : push or fold (push with any king, any ace... push with J9, Q9 or better too or suited connectors)
Ok ... I'm sorry ... I was wrong with blinds ... blinds were lower but ... independently of amounts, I've seen that people has answered according to I wanted to listen. I think I played very tight and maybe I'd pushed in first hand.
wasnt much of a tournament with only 41k in chips in play.
Personally you set your stall out early HU. If hes got such a huge chip lead then I would have gone all in first hand and hoped. What have you got to lose ?
At least it tslls him you wont be bullyed... If you lose so what.. You were that far bahind, and with the blinds being so high, you couldnt hang around for a monster hand. So its all in, shut your eyes and pray...
Basically the full tilt first hand freeroll method..
------------ wasnt much of a tournament with only 41k in chips in play.
Personally you set your stall out early HU. If hes got such a huge chip lead then I would have gone all in first hand and hoped. What have you got to lose ?
At least it tslls him you wont be bullyed... If you lose so what.. You were that far bahind, and with the blinds being so high, you couldnt hang around for a monster hand. So its all in, shut your eyes and pray...
Basically the full tilt first hand freeroll method..
Joined: May '09
Location: India
Age: 37 (M)
Posts: 4873
with such a big chip lead your opponent is definitely the favorite to win. he'll surely push every hand knowing his big stack will make up for his bad cards. you can't raise and fold, its like digging ur own grave. just go allin when you have decent enough hand( don't wait for monsters) and hope for the best
Posted by SuperNoob: with such a big chip lead your opponent is definitely the favorite to win. he'll surely push every hand knowing his big stack will make up for his bad cards. you can't raise and fold, its like digging ur own grave. just go allin when you have decent enough hand( don't wait for monsters) and hope for the best
I agree but sometimes it has happened in the opposite side, I have a lot of chips against a poor guy. And all-in every hand because he doesn't have any to lose so ... with some luck, he goes increasing his chips and, after 2 or 3 hands, we have the same amount!
Joined: Feb '08
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 1886
Posted by DaMessiah666: I agree but sometimes it has happened in the opposite side, I have a lot of chips against a poor guy. And all-in every hand because he doesn't have any to lose so ... with some luck, he goes increasing his chips and, after 2 or 3 hands, we have the same amount!
There is a difference between playing heads up small stack and big stack but it seems to me you have little experience playing heads up at all. I wouldn't be going all in every hand personally big stack or not. But if your up against a tight small stack like you were it is probly best to push every hand. AQ against 4 6 is only 60/40 favourite so if a small stack is waiting for a good hand to call you, by the time he gets a hand he is likely to have lost half his stack balancing out the odds difference.
Against a small stack who knows what he's doing, you should be pushing often to put the pressure on them but not every hand cos as you say two double ups and they're back in it. When you're first to act you should be pushing with any picture card, it is hard for your opponent to call with a middle hand such as J8 or Q7 so many hands that beat you will be folded. Although you should assess your opponents image to help make your decisions, if they are a good player they will most likely call with low cards hoping that they are live. This most likely puts you in a 45/55 race in your favour which gives you the advantage since you have him covered even if you lose. It's like you have three lives and he has one. Imo in this position you should fold any two cards of 9 or under (excluding pairs) cos you're most likely to be called with hands that are beating you. I wouldn't push too much with small pairs either cos the best you can hope for is a race. You have next to no chance of domination unlike with hands with picture cards.
When you're big blind and are facing an all in, as when you are small blind you're better off calling with low close cards (4s 6d) or low suited cards (3d 6d) than middle of the road hands (J 9o or k 6o) But you can afford to be more loose than if you were small stack and instant call with hands like K 10 or A 8 which would be borderline decisions small stacked imo.
Next hand you fold the big blind again. How exactly?
