Heads up poker thread

[Aleksei]

So pls tell me,what cards do i need to play in heads-up?

No offense dude but if you're phrasing that question in THAT way, you're not ready for HU.

Read some strategy articles and try 6max.

 

[Abedin120]

That is good, because I am also to bad player for heads-up, I play aggressive on the heads-up but I don't to play well that game.

 

[Jblocher1]

Ok so another question I have. Should be calling down rivers with like 3rd pair sometimes? I mean, it's pretty likely it's good since after all, he only has 2 cards. What kinds of hands should I be calling down rivers with? This is of course without reads...

 

[Aleksei]

Ok so another question I have. Should be calling down rivers with like 3rd pair sometimes? I mean, it's pretty likely it's good since after all, he only has 2 cards. What kinds of hands should I be calling down rivers with? This is of course without reads...

With no reads I will usually peel down at least 2 streets with weak pairs, and at least one with A-high and K-high, just to prevent my flop folding range from becoming exploitably high. You normally shouldn't do that in very coordinated boards where it's hard to balance a bluffing range anyway, but in dry flops, definitely peel flop and peel turn sometimes, and fold river. Also, anyone halfway-decent is doing this as well, so if you check down two streets you can bet at least one for value with ANY pair.

If your opponent is playing too passive post and not bluffing enough, you can start exploitatively folding bottom pair and A-high hands, or turning them into bluffs.

In most SNG/tournament HU situations though stacks are too short to profitably peel 3 streets. You HAVE to make the decision, either pre or otf, of whether to GII or fold.

 

[Jblocher1]

With no reads I will usually peel down at least 2 streets with weak pairs, and at least one with A-high and K-high, just to prevent my flop folding range from becoming exploitably high. You normally shouldn't do that in very coordinated boards where it's hard to balance a bluffing range anyway, but in dry flops, definitely peel flop and peel turn sometimes, and fold river. Also, anyone halfway-decent is doing this as well, so if you check down two streets you can bet at least one for value with ANY pair.

If your opponent is playing too passive post and not bluffing enough, you can start exploitatively folding bottom pair and A-high hands, or turning them into bluffs.

In most SNG/tournament HU situations though stacks are too short to profitably peel 3 streets. You HAVE to make the decision, either pre or otf, of whether to GII or fold.

Thanks. Helpful As usual aleksei

 

[Chemist]

In most SNG/tournament HU situations though stacks are too short to profitably peel 3 streets. You HAVE to make the decision, either pre or otf, of whether to GII or fold.

This is usually the problem, and the time to make the decision,
even with a decent stack it can bleed too many chips.

With no reads I will usually peel down at least 2 streets with weak pairs, and at least one with A-high and K-high, just to prevent my flop folding range from becoming exploitably high.

Sort of contradictory to the conclusion. But occasionally 'to avoid being too exploited' and also more value with good draws too straights or flushes. Just don't fall foul of the chip leak exploit.

 

[Aleksei]

Sort of contradictory to the conclusion. But occasionally 'to avoid being too exploited' and also more value with good draws too straights or flushes. Just don't fall foul of the chip leak exploit.

What? No, this advice is specifically for HU cash, where you're at least 100bb deep, play is primarily postflop and ranges are super-wide everywhere.

Like I mean, versus passive fish you can get away with exploitatively folding Ace-high when they bet because they're gonna have something, but if people have air in their range when they bet you usually have good odds to peel down with any Ace at least. And versus any thinking opponent you HAVE to do it because otherwise you're folding flop so much they can profitably cbet bluff or donk-bluff every SRP. Most of the time, mind, you're both gonna miss and very often one of you doesn't have SDV.