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Server Time: 12/1/2008 6:53:49 PM PACIFIC |
 heads up help, Numie, 25. Aug 2003 21:38 | ||
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| I am a beginner at poker, specifically hold'em, as I just started playing in the past few months. I've read a few poker books and have tried to learn as much strategy as I could. Anyway, my friends and I have low-stakes no limit hold'em "tournaments" consisting of about 20 people and I consistently make it to the final 2 or 3 - but that's where I get into trouble. I play fairly tight and play continuously looser as the number of people at the table decreases. However, once I get to the final 2-3, I always get beaten by the same opponent. This opponent's strategy is simple - bet during every betting round no matter what he holds. He basically plays every hand like aces. The trouble is, I don't want to keep calling bets with so-so hands. If I fold , he gets the chips from my previous calls. So I usually call him down. But there's another problem. Sometimes I call him down with bottom pair and end up beating his king-high. But sometimes I call him down with two-pair and run into a straight or flush. I keep telling myself that there has to be a way to beat this guy but I just can't think of it. Is there a way to win? Thanks in advance for your help and any replies will be greatly appreciated. | ||
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| Re: heads up help, jordanc79, 26. Aug 2003 06:28 | ||
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| First off, invite me to one of these tournaments if this opponent always seems to make it down to the final 2-3 players. Your problem may be that you're too studied on the "correct" play and possibly using limit strategy in tournament play (it's two different beasts). You know he doesn't have premium cards every damn hand, so why allow yourself to be bullied? A lot of heads-up NL play is just a race to the river, so of course you'll lose from time to time even with the favorite. When you have a top level starting hand or even a small pair, raise the bully like 3-4 times the bet. If he'll still bet regardless you'll probably be the favorite or even a HUGE favorite. A few hands like that and you'll get rid of him. If he's somewhat intelligent, he'll fold all hands you bet and continue stealing your blinds. I used to play with an over-agressive player like this who'd use a big chip lead to dwindle away the small stacks until they're dead. Here's a little showman trick if he'll fold...raise big with cheese and then "accidently" reveal your cards when he folds. Tells the bully that you're not gonna put up with his antics anymore. --- JordanC | ||
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| Re: heads up help, Numie, 26. Aug 2003 10:37 | ||
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| Well first off this particular opponent doesn't bet recklessly like this throughout the tournament. During the early stages he plays similar to me, only a little looser. It's when there are only 2-3 people remaining that he becomes a maniac. And yes, he is intelligent. I will take your advice by raising with good hands and small pairs, but my concern is that I may already be beat. He bets the same with 7-2 offsuit as he does with pocket kings when we're heads up so if I raise with a small pair I may be digging my own grave. | ||
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| Re: heads up help, McMonkey, 26. Aug 2003 12:29 | ||
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| The thing is, as someone already mentioned: He can't have a good hand every time. If you are betting into him when you DO have a good hand you're giving yourself your best shot at winning. If he sucks out on you, that's poker, but you're increasing your chances of winning and making him pay when you do win. You said yourself that he raises the same for KK or 72o, so you can't get any information about his hand, so all you can do is play your own the best way possible. You have to make a stand sometime, by being afraid to bet you're playing right into how he wants you to play. | ||
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| Re: heads up help, jordanc79, 26. Aug 2003 14:56 | ||
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| Can't be put any better. When you play heads-up NL, it's almost always a race. If someone's beat and there's betting, then something's terribly wrong. Being this is the case, the only way to show long-term success is betting big when you're the favorite and hoping not to be outdrawn. If you're scared to risk it all when you're the favorite, then you shouldn't be playing NL tourneys. --- JordanC Are those aces in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? | ||
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| Re: heads up help, Numie, 26. Aug 2003 15:32 | ||
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| McMonkey, I think you make an excellent point. I can't get a read on my opponent's hand by how he bets and I don't think I'm skilled enough to spot tells (although I have tried) so I guess I'll just have to try to build the pot when I'm a favorite. And JordanC, I do understand that to win at No Limit you have to be able to move in when need be. I am determined to become a good hold'em player and if that's what I have to do then that's what I'll do. Thank you to everyone who replied for your help. | ||
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| Re: heads up help, Flatout_Mainiac, 26. Aug 2003 06:58 | ||
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| It does sound like you are getting bullied. You have to take the approach that he is getting the same junk cards as you are so any hand worth a darn is worth playing. If he knows you are going to fold from the BB 20% of the time and odds are that you will split the remainder of the pots he will win 60% of the hands. There are alot of guys here that can explain what to do better than I can. But S&M's HEFAP has a chapter on playing shorthanded and discusses your problem in detail. Good Luck!!! | ||
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| Re: heads up help, TexRoadkill, 26. Aug 2003 09:15 | ||
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| If you want to be defensive you can fold your small blinds and whenever you get A, K. pair or flush draw really nail him. | ||
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| Re: heads up help, Flatout_Mainiac, 26. Aug 2003 10:56 | ||
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| Numie, I misread you post thinking it was limits so don't refer to HAFAP as that is for shorthanded play in limits and not no limits. Sorry. | ||
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| Re: heads up help, Numie, 26. Aug 2003 11:01 | ||
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| Okay - thanks for the clarification. And from your previous reply, are you saying that I shouldn't fold so that my opponent doesn't win more hands then me? He never folds when we're heads up. | ||
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| Re: heads up help, Don Hayes, 26. Aug 2003 11:38 | ||
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| Even though S&M's Holdem for advanced players is for limit the section on shorthanded play is well worth the price of the book all by itself. Since I have gotten it I have went from getting killed at heads up and short handed play to crushing most players. If you don't have it I would highly reccomend it (my unsolicited endorsment). | ||
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| Re: heads up help, Flatout_Mainiac, 26. Aug 2003 13:34 | ||
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| Someone can expand a little at it applies to no limits, because most of my heads up experience comes from limit sit and goes (which is almost like no limits since it doesn't take much to be all in in the late rounds of a sng). If I'm in the SB heads up with someone that I know has a propensity to fold the BB and plays timid I raise with almost everything except with the very worst pockets which I will just fold. I never call from the small blind if I'm heads up (not sure if this is correct, but it works ok for me and actually I view leading out with a call in very shorthanded play or heads up as a potential weakness to be exploited). My thought is that I always want to give my opponets the chance to fold their hands. I also feel being the preflop raiser give me the advantage over timid player because they are more likely to fold even if the flop misses completely so even if i get called with a bad hand preflop I still can win a majority of the time. From the BB I want to see the flop with everything but the worst pocket junk since my bet cost less than the small blind. Any higher ranked hands I'm more likely to 3 bet since you want a bunch of his money in the pot when you think you are stronger. Recognize when he is bullying you and defend yourself. If you fight back a little he will start to respect your play a little more and he'll either stop trying to run you over or go broke trying to do it. Again, this is from my experience and what works for me and I not anywhere close to as good at this game as a number of folks here. There are other great poker minds on this board that should concur, correct or expand on anything that I say before you take it out on your poker buddies!!!! Good luck!!!! | ||
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