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Grinding Heads Up

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  1. mcreach mcreach is offline

    Canada

    Posts: 15
    Joined: Mar 08

    Dec 30th, 2008 (12/30/2008 2:05pm)

    For those of you who are able to grind heads up tables as your primary source of poker income, my question is: How do you deal with the variance in order to be successful? Is it simply a matter of having a large enough roll to support the swings? Applying different strategy? Both, something else? And on a related topic, is there anyone who makes a living off playing exclusively double or nothing sng's? thx.......
  2. Klepto05 Klepto05 is offline

    Bristol, CT
    United States

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    Dec 30th, 2008 (12/30/2008 2:13pm) in reply to mcreach

    The
  3. Klepto05 Klepto05 is offline

    Bristol, CT
    United States

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    Dec 30th, 2008 (12/30/2008 2:17pm) in reply to mcreach

    The most important thing is to stay in stakes you can support... Heads up, alond with 6 man sngs, are where I make my profit. I admit that I probably play out of my bankroll, but I don't multi table like crazy so if I hit a rough patch I just drop down a level and build back up. My personal experience with HU is that there are definitely times where I have lost 4 or 5 in a row, but those are not too often, and I have pulled off win streaks of 10+ twice and 7+ 4 times. If your sample size is large enough, and your down swings greatly outnumber your win streaks, then something is wrong in your play imo. I just find mid stake HU to be a pretty easy money maker in the long run.
  4. mcreach mcreach is offline

    Canada

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    Dec 30th, 2008 (12/30/2008 2:32pm) in reply to Klepto05

    thx klepto.... any advice on BR requirement?
    Thread Starter
  5. Klepto05 Klepto05 is offline

    Bristol, CT
    United States

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    Dec 30th, 2008 (12/30/2008 2:46pm) in reply to mcreach

    Like I said, I don't multi table like crazy, especially heads up because I play needs to be tailored much more to the opponent than it does in a full table tournament. And also, since I don't multi or play a ridiculously high volume, I don't follow strict bankroll guidelines. I guarantee any guidelines would be saying I play way over my head bankroll wise, but I have done fine playing that way.
    The way I cash out is this: I initially deposited 100, and have never had to redeposit, and have cashed out around 7k, but ive also never had more than 1300 in my account at once. I usually have built it up to 800-1k and cashed out 500, and then built it back up. That way has always kept me playing harder and a more solid game, and made me consistent money playing a mix of HU and 6 man sngs. That may not work for you, but all I can say is be comfortable where you play, so that you aren't playing scared. I have played $100 HU with a roll of 800, but never did it playing scared. It's to each his own really... but I have no problem playing $50 HU consistently with a $6-800 roll.
  6. Mattraq1 Mattraq1 is offline

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    Dec 30th, 2008 (12/30/2008 2:49pm) in reply to mcreach

    no money in heads up, dun do it
  7. lockdownpokah lockdownpokah is offline

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    Dec 30th, 2008 (12/30/2008 3:05pm) in reply to Mattraq1

     
    Originally Posted by Mattraq1 View Post

    no money in heads up, dun do it

    i couldnt disagree more
     
  8. k2thaz k2thaz is offline

    Las Vegas, NV
    United States

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    Dec 30th, 2008 (12/30/2008 3:16pm) in reply to lockdownpokah

    are you talking sit n gos or cash?
  9. Klepto05 Klepto05 is offline

    Bristol, CT
    United States

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    Dec 30th, 2008 (12/30/2008 3:24pm) in reply to k2thaz

    I think HU sng are some of the easiest money makers- the play even in the $50-100 can be just terrible
  10. mcreach mcreach is offline

    Canada

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    Dec 30th, 2008 (12/30/2008 3:37pm) in reply to lockdownpokah

     
    Originally Posted by lockdownpokah View Post

     
    Originally Posted by Mattraq1 View Post

    no money in heads up, dun do it

    i couldnt disagree more

    ...care to expand a little? i know you play a lot of bigger mtt's, do you still frequent HU sng's as well?
    Thread Starter
  11. WiserPenny WiserPenny is offline

    Crestview, FL
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    Jan 6th, 2009 (1/6/2009 10:08pm) in reply to mcreach

    the absolute MINIMUM i would ever play HU sngs with is 40 buyins... there is to much back and forth BS that happens HU without enough upswing

    ex.

    you run bad and lose 5 in a row

    now you must win 6 to get back to even (rake needs made back took)

    if you are playing a regular SNG you lose 5 in a row...

    you can win 1 and get 2nd in another and you are back

    my point is... down swings hurt you more in HU IMO...

    two other big things

    generally ROI isn't as high

    and it is harder to multi table heads up sngs...

    but i'm a tight ass when it comes to bankroll management also... i'm most comfortable with around 100 buyins... but that is extreme
  12. ShortStack3 ShortStack3 is offline

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    Jan 6th, 2009 (1/6/2009 11:10pm) in reply to mcreach

    http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/54...rbo-plo-40643/

    I made a post on P5s a while back that included higher limits and a larger sample size but since their search feature sucks balls I can't find it.

    *EDIT*
    Finally found it after some long searching...
    http://www.pocketfives.com/poker-for.../187995#187995
  13. Call Me Jigsaw Call Me Jigsaw is offline

    Apo, AE
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    Jan 7th, 2009 (1/7/2009 12:15am) in reply to WiserPenny

     
    Originally Posted by WiserPenny View Post

    the absolute MINIMUM i would ever play HU sngs with is 40 buyins... there is to much back and forth BS that happens HU without enough upswing

    ex.

    you run bad and lose 5 in a row

    now you must win 6 to get back to even (rake needs made back took)

    if you are playing a regular SNG you lose 5 in a row...

    you can win 1 and get 2nd in another and you are back

    my point is... down swings hurt you more in HU IMO...

    two other big things

    generally ROI isn't as high

    and it is harder to multi table heads up sngs...

    but i'm a tight ass when it comes to bankroll management also... i'm most comfortable with around 100 buyins... but that is extreme

    You really don't need 40 buy ins for heads up sngs. That's slightly overboard. Anyone who is worth their salt in heads up sngs will never swing down more than 15 buy ins.
    IMO, 20-30 buy ins is sufficient.
  14. blizair blizair is offline

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    Jan 7th, 2009 (1/7/2009 11:37pm) in reply to mcreach

    hu is incredibly profitable. i'd rather not play poker tho if i was grinding double or nothingsk that sounds gross
    596 1
  15. Xeno85 Xeno85 is offline

    Wisconsin Rapids, WI
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    Jan 8th, 2009 (1/8/2009 12:18am) in reply to mcreach

    As for variance, I met a guy while going to college who plays heads-up online exclusively (usually 5-10+ cash). After a while I found out about a session he played where he ran insanely bad against a super-fishy player for his stakes. This man was Fluffdog. Search his name, I'm sure you'll find the session I'm talking about. As for profitability, he's parlayed his heads-up bankroll into playing the high buy-in live tournaments and actually was giving Dario Minieri fits (he was the guy who went out in third at the 6-max wsop event by getting AA cracked by AK). When I asked him how he started he said playing .25/.50 6-max online, then switching to heads-up and slowly working his way up about 3 yrs ago(BTW, a hand problem has meant he only plays 1-2 tables at a time).
  16. JMPRODIGY JMPRODIGY is offline

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    Jan 8th, 2009 (1/8/2009 4:00am) in reply to Xeno85

    id argue that hu sng's are the 2nd most profitable "game" in poker, behind 10/20+ cash games
     
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