Check out our brand new Local Poker Communities! Get updates and interact with poker players in your area.
Visit the United States Poker Community | Visit the California Poker Community | Read more about the Launch of P5s Local

HU SNG pro's need your help

Reply to Thread
  1. tigertoes tigertoes is offline

    Posts: 498
    Joined: Jun 05

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 3:38pm)

    Need some direction to help improve my HU SNG game. Looking for articles and such that might help. Feel this is a weakness in my game and need to improve it now.

    Thanks in advance for any and all help.
  2. jtown1010 jtown1010 is offline

    United States

    Posts: 23,112
    Joined: Jan 06

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 3:39pm) in reply to tigertoes

    Short handed play
  3. as_in_2006 as_in_2006 is offline

    Redwood City, CA
    United States

    Posts: 461
    Joined: Oct 06

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 3:48pm) in reply to tigertoes

    Do you have any idea what the your weakness wit heads up is ? By no means am I a heads up expert but typically if im heads up after being in a 9man sng I already know how the other player plays and I typically just play the opposite of how they play. If they are loose I will play a litte tighter and if they are tight then I will abuse them and be more aggressive. Sometimes players will change their strategy when it gets to heads up so unless i have a monster hand I will usually sit back for a few hands to try to see how they play heads up first then make the approriate adjustments. Obviously heads up youll typically wan't to play a lot more hands than you normally would but at the same time take into consideration how your oppenent is playing. This is just simple basic advice but it's the best I got right now :)
  4. tigertoes tigertoes is offline

    Posts: 498
    Joined: Jun 05

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 3:50pm) in reply to jtown1010

    Thanks for the link...seems to me this post was more on short handed, 6 or fewer players, SNG's than strictly playing heads-up SNG's. My problem hasn't been heads-up in a 9-10 man SNG..I seem to do well here but when I'm playing a HU SNG against someone I seem to get up early then watch it slip away.
    One thing I have notice is I try to steal too many pots and get called. I imploy the TAG style to playing these but it just doesn't seem to be working out. Guess I'm looking for strategy ideas and the like.
    Thread Starter
  5. tigertoes tigertoes is offline

    Posts: 498
    Joined: Jun 05

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 3:59pm) in reply to as_in_2006

    My weakness seems to be HU sngs where both players start with the same chips. In a normal 9-10 man SNG I play a similar style to what you mentioned above. When I apply this, being aggressive, to a HU SNG it seems to backfire on me.
    Thread Starter
  6. lind0 lind0 is offline

    Vancouver
    Canada

    Posts: 672
    Joined: Jan 06

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 4:12pm) in reply to tigertoes

    You should play some low stakes heads up matches to help you improve. You'll get a better idea of hand values the more you play, and you'll get to play against different styles of player. Honestly, playing heads up matches might have helped my game more than any other single thing. They will even make you a better full ring player. You have to play so many bad hands and so many marginal flops that you'll develop a whole new arsenal of moves from playing then. Hmm, maybe it's time for me to get back into them...

    Anyway, changing gears and adapting to your opponent is probably the most important skill heads up. I like to come out super aggressive, even to the point of maniac where I know I'm going to get burned a bit at some point. I don't want to lose any REALLY big pots, but I don't mind giving back what I already stole or being behind by a little bit early. The blinds are so low I can easily work my way back into it, and I use the early stages to give me a great read on how my opponent will react to my raises and then I can adjust accordingly. It also gives me a lasting image throughout the match. Some guys will just be very passive and let you run them over. It will be an easy win, but it will have to be a slow methodical victory. Other guys will fight aggression with more aggression. This is my favorite opponent because I know I can probably trap him and I can probably do it soon. After my initial burst of craziness, I'll slow right down and just let him give me his chips. And the best players, they're tough to beat. They adjust to you and they mix up their play accordingly. They have a whole arsenal of moves and styes and they can use them all throughout the match.

    As for being heads up at the end of a sng, the blinds are usually so big there really isn't much play, so these strategies won't really be usable. There isn't a lot of time to change gears and blend styles, but there is still skill to it. Aggression is usually the best weapon at that point, but with the blinds so big it's a bit of a crapshoot. Anyway, I still think the heads up matches are the way to go if you want to get better. If you want a book, Harrington on Holdem 2 has a good section on heads up play, and you might just find the rest of it a tad bit useful as well.

    PS: A word of warning about the matches. You haven't experienced tilt until you lose a series of matches. If you're a super competitive person like me, losing them can set you off like a bomb. It's a much more personal loss than going out of a tournament so just be warned.
  7. lind0 lind0 is offline

    Vancouver
    Canada

    Posts: 672
    Joined: Jan 06

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 4:21pm) in reply to lind0

    Was just reading what you said about aggression backfiring. Maybe you're falling into a pattern with your aggression. Try to be aggressive but don't use the same move all the time. For instance, a lot of players will raise preflop all the time but it's their only move. Or they'll always bet the flop with a min raise, or whatever. Mix up your aggression. One hand, raise his blind. Then steal on the flop by betting right out. Then check raise the next time. Then raise when he limps. Then reraise preflop. Anyway, you see what I'm getting at. Make sure you have lots of different moves you can make and mix them all in together. If he sees you do something a couple of times, he'll figure you out. If you come at him from all different angles, he'll never know what hit him.
  8. wywrot wywrot is offline

    Brampton
    Canada

    Posts: 831
    Joined: Mar 06

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 4:24pm) in reply to lind0

    you can add me on msn at m_wywrot@hotmail.com

    I can give you private lessons
    352 3
  9. deletesweet_kate deletesweet_kate is offline

    San Mateo, CA
    United States

    Posts: 1,038
    Joined: Feb 06

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 4:28pm) in reply to wywrot

    shipitthisway wrote a great article on HUs SNGs. I looked but have not yet found it. He is playing I will ask him to post the link.
    edit: no observer chat at his table. maybe PM him
    Kate
  10. Suthereader Suthereader is offline

    Pensacola, FL
    United States

    Posts: 1,505
    Joined: Oct 06

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 4:31pm) in reply to tigertoes

    One of the better things I've seen on headsup play is Harrington's assessment in HOH vol. 2....try to read what he says about heads-up play...and read the Ivey-DeAgostino headsup match in the back of the book...He makes a lot of interesting comments...

    Also read the All In magazine article by Chris Ferguson on ALL In's site...
  11. deletesweet_kate deletesweet_kate is offline

    San Mateo, CA
    United States

    Posts: 1,038
    Joined: Feb 06

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 4:38pm) in reply to Suthereader

    here you go --

    http://www.pocketfives.com/CBF2DB94-...DA4A4B426.aspx
  12. tigertoes tigertoes is offline

    Posts: 498
    Joined: Jun 05

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 4:59pm) in reply to deletesweet_kate

    Excellent advice everyone and thanks for the link. :)

    Yet another reason in the long line why pocket fives pwnsssss!!!!
    Thread Starter
  13. tigertoes tigertoes is offline

    Posts: 498
    Joined: Jun 05

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 5:09pm) in reply to wywrot

    I'll get in touch with you shortly. : ) thanks!
    Thread Starter
  14. setsnappa84 setsnappa84 is offline

    Ithaca, NY
    United States

    Posts: 52
    Joined: Jan 07

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 5:25pm) in reply to tigertoes

    Yesterday i made a bet with a friend that i could win 8 out of 8 5 dollar hu sngs and i won all 8 :)

    Then i made another bet that i could win 2 9 man 10 dollar sngs in a row, which i lost my money from the bet back :(

    The happy news is that i am undefeated in online hu sngs :)
  15. tigertoes tigertoes is offline

    Posts: 498
    Joined: Jun 05

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 5:59pm) in reply to setsnappa84

    8 of 8..impressive!!! There must be some kind record like this. Is it possible to win 10+ in a row...hmmmm.
    Thread Starter
  16. setsnappa84 setsnappa84 is offline

    Ithaca, NY
    United States

    Posts: 52
    Joined: Jan 07

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 6:08pm) in reply to tigertoes

    I guess i am still undefeated and you can verify it on sharkscope :) i might play more later, i want to try and win 20 in a row :)

    EDIT: i am only undefeated in hu sngs i didnt money in my 2 9 mans...thats why my roi isnt quite 100%.. Those were both 10 dollar buy ins :(
  17. lind0 lind0 is offline

    Vancouver
    Canada

    Posts: 672
    Joined: Jan 06

    Jan 5th, 2007 (1/5/2007 6:09pm) in reply to tigertoes

    My best ever is 9 straight during a stretch where I was 20-3. It was only at $20 so not that impressive, but still my best stretch by far. I'm sure other people out there have gone longer.
Reply to Thread

Similar Threads