Joined: Oct '10
Location: Romania
Age: 36 (M)
Posts: 178
I'm a big novice when it comes to heads-up sng's. So far I watched only 3 videos and grasped a strategy on how to play vs the two most encountered kinds of players : weak-tight and maniac. Not many strong opponents at the 6$ limit I'm playing now.
I was playing vs a maniac today and I managed to regain control of the game, stacks being 2300-1700 in my favour after a major mistake of his. He wasn't letting me limp any cards from BU and he was 3betting many of my minraises once the blinds reached 50/100, so I wasn't able to see any flops. I was being dealt bad cards and got a little impatient.
Then I have 88 so I plan to limp again and go for a shove if he raises. I called 50 and he raises to 500. As I said, he was doing it very frequently with huge raises, so I had no hesitation and went all-in. He called and showed K4s (extreme maniac and probably frustrated).
Equity now is 70%-30% in my favour but the first card that comes is a King and the third is a 4 . Luckily river brought an 8 and I won but that was so close...
I'm thinking about this for a while and I'm not sure about the answer. I've seen coaches saying TT is definately push at 50/100 blinds. So how would you adjust according to opponents and how low should your pocket pairs be before you decide for a shove? 88,77 or lower or wait for a TT+? And what pocket pairs would you shove in the early stages if being reraised, JJ+, QQ+ or KK+?
And if your opponent pushes first what would you call?
Joined: Apr '09
Location: Australia
Age: 40 (M)
Posts: 6483
Since there is only 2 positions 1 & 2 and you either win all of the money or none of the money.. There is no fancy ICM calculations like in a regular SNG or MTT. It's basically the same type of aggressive EV strategy you should employ in ring game tactics..
Basically, if you get ANY positive EV from your hand vs opponents range - then call/shove.. As you can play many HU sngs.. so you're looking to profit from a large sample of HU games, not any one single game.
If you KNEW that your opponent had AK and your holding was 44 and he put you allin - it's snap-call every time. Because even though the EV+ is only slight.. over time - you're a winner..
So I guess what I am saying is vs a maniac with a very wide range - I'd get it ALLIN every single time with ANY PP.
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Posted by BadeaCR And if your opponent pushes first what would you call?
Obviously your calling range should be tighter than your shoving range - since you're not getting any fold equity in your EV equation.
Edited by jessthehuman (26 February 2011 @ 04:48 GMT)
Joined: May '08
Location: Germany
Age: 59 (M)
Posts: 6786
Depends on the blinds. With the blinds so high it is a snap call with any pair. At lower blinds one can avoid a possible flip, and wait for a better spot.
Joined: Nov '10
Location: Serbia
Age: 37 (M)
Posts: 2087
Well, I consider myself to be very good HU player. I play 5$ HU SNG too. For example, I won 75 out of 100 HU on PokerStars this month. So here is how I look at things... Thing is that most of players on 5$ are or maniacs or weak tight (think there is more maniacs). Here is how I play against them.... When you play HU you must use your brain. Do not ever try to bluff maniac! Do not try to reraise his raises when you dont have cards to go all in with them... You must be prepared to gamble a bit... On beginning when blinds are small it is key period when playing against maniac. Try to see as more flops as you can. Try to trap him. Dont just reraise him all in before flop every time when you have a solid hand because he wants that. Dont take coinflips because you are better player then him and you dont want coinflip, you want him to pay for his stupidity! Use his aggression as your advantage. Be patient... Look at flop, if you hit flop check him and after his raise reraise him, dont just call because if you reraise him that will slow him down later. When blinds are small just call with 88, if flop brings you 3 overs get prepared to fold, if brings two unders reraise, if brings some kind of draw call (7910 for example) and if you hit your trips and he hit top pair.. well.. congrats you are winner! When blinds go up play opposite. If you have KQ,A10, even QJ any pair bigger then 77, reraise him all in before flop because you can afford to call and then fold on flop. You did well with 88 there...that is poker... you had him dominated... I hope this will help someone... this is way I play profitably against maniacs...
Joined: Aug '10
Location: United States
Age: 55 (M)
Posts: 156
dozn01 u just might be the manic player lol . i try to wait for the pairs or 1 of the top 10 hands but if i think im being run over by a nut i will call with mid hand some time it hits and i break them on the flop or turn alot i just go with my gut most of the time im right
Joined: Oct '10
Location: Romania
Age: 36 (M)
Posts: 178
Nice replies, thanks a lot. @jovicakralj : That's amazing 75/100 won is like 65% ROI! What bankroll management are you using, how many buyins? I'd like to play at a lower level but there isn't on party
Joined: Nov '10
Location: Serbia
Age: 37 (M)
Posts: 2087
Posted by BadeaCR: Nice replies, thanks a lot. @jovicakralj : That's amazing 75/100 won is like 65% ROI! What bankroll management are you using, how many buyins? I'd like to play at a lower level but there isn't on party
Yeah, I have nice score this month. Generally I am good in heads up... ofcourse you cant always have that score but you can be close to that. I play on lot of rooms and I look on my poker money on all rooms like on one bankroll so... I have about 150$ on my PS account now. I can advise you to have at least 20 buy ins. That is minimum If you dont want to get busto... I also have another tip for you that works for me and if you planing to play heads up you should consider it: After losing heads up (especially with bad beat) take a break and dont play another one in next 30 minutes! Even if you not feel like tilting belive me tilt is there and he will change your game in worst possible way! And you dont want that to happend when you play heads up... Heads up is game where you need to be focused all the time and if you continue playing you will continue losing game after game and more you lose you will tilt more until you bust your entire bankroll...
Joined: Nov '09
Location: Poland
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 1189
jovicakralj your screen name please? There where you're playing if you can ofc ^^. That's was you said about maniac it's kinda obvious nothing new. Tactic against maniac always let him shot himself when you have a hand. For normal SNg most of ppl use 100Bi rule. On HU it's depends on edge you feel... but you can have here some serious swings. I know a guy who is playing all the time HU and his worst downswing was for 50+ Bi. So 100 it's at least for sure in this kind of games.
Joined: Nov '10
Location: Serbia
Age: 37 (M)
Posts: 2087
Posted by ZmxPowah: jovicakralj your screen name please? There where you're playing if you can ofc ^^. That's was you said about maniac it's kinda obvious nothing new. Tactic against maniac always let him shot himself when you have a hand. For normal SNg most of ppl use 100Bi rule. On HU it's depends on edge you feel... but you can have here some serious swings. I know a guy who is playing all the time HU and his worst downswing was for 50+ Bi. So 100 it's at least for sure in this kind of games.
I play on lot of rooms like I sad...On PS it is acivoj pfc. I know that I didnt say nothing new there. Im not poker genius to tell something that is not known, Im just saying on which way I play with success and trying to help people here... Lot of people not let maniac shot himself, instead of that they are trying to reraise him before flop or when they dont have hand and that is exactly what maniac wants (to gamble). Belive me I know how bad swings can be... I have bankroll lot more then 100 buy ins btw... I know that it is needed to have 50 buy ins (2%) but if you play on low stakes and if you play good and use tip that I gave in previous post 20 buy ins can be fine...
. Luckily river brought an 8 and I won but that was so close... 
