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Something obvious I've learned playing small stakes HU

  
 
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SmackinYaUp
Old 08-24-2007, 06:54 PM     Post subject: Something obvious I've learned playing small stakes HU #1 (permalink)  
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Now I know this may be obvious to many of you but it's something that I have learned about small stakes HU cash games. I had to stubbornly beat my head against the wall over and over before I finally realized this so hopefully I can save some of the trouble for you newer HU cash game players.

Playing against fish is one thing. You just sit there and wait until you have a hand and then take them down to value town.

Now days though there are a ton of decent tags who have read a little HU strategy. They usually just play a raise/fold preflop game. If they play a hand it's for a raise or a 3bet.

I usually start out the match doing about the same. Eventually the aggression between you two heats up and there will be a lot of raising and 3beting preflop.

You can either start floating in 3bet pots or start 4betting. Both strategies are very good against certain players. If you can successfully apply one of these strategies to your opponent then you're good to go.

If not, then the next thing to do is tighten up and play straightforward poker. It's hard to make yourself do this heads up when someone is always in your face but the blinds you lose in a small stakes HU NL table are insignificant compared to the payoffs you can get.

If you sit and wait for strong hands and bet them aggressively your opponent will not think you have been waiting to finally hit something. He will usually talk himself into a call or a raise because he has been so aggressive and you're probably just frustrated.

I have even talked myself into plenty of stupid plays because I figured my passive opponent was just frustrated.

The games have changed and you can't just win at HUNL by preflop and flop aggression. As you get better and learn how to properly apply turn and river aggression then your edge will be significant against these opponents. But for now you can still just wait for big hands and you'll do alright.



Ok that's it. Told you it was obvious.
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bigspenda73
Old 08-24-2007, 06:59 PM #2 (permalink)  
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 This would be great to post in the new HU Forum.
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SmackinYaUp
Old 08-24-2007, 07:20 PM #3 (permalink)  
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Oh wow when in the world did we get that? Moving it now...
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bigspenda73
Old 08-24-2007, 08:10 PM #4 (permalink)  
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 Yesterday, nice post BTW.


I really would like to get into the HU cash games at PS but it really seems like the reg's hog the tables at 50nl and 100nl and just wait on the fish to sit. I'd rather not have to start off playing the competent players at these levels as my only real HU experience is in HUsngs with slower blind movements; but still, nothing like 100bb+ deep stacked HU play.
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Sheetah
Old 08-24-2007, 09:44 PM #5 (permalink)  
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Nice post.
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Zee Devee
Old 08-24-2007, 09:56 PM #6 (permalink)  
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Agreed.
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IowaSkinsFan
Old 08-25-2007, 08:16 PM #7 (permalink)  
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 What I've found out about HU is that most players are spewtards and will put people on too bluffy of a range, even if you haven't bluffed the entire match. Then what I've also notice is the 1% of the time a player realizes your just a nit who doesn't bluff, he'll either leave the table or tilt bluff because he knows he has to bluff you to win but he can't take his mouse off the bet button.

Summary: Play super tight in a HU match with the way the games are right now, if opponent starts to adjust only then loosen up.
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SmackinYaUp
Old 08-25-2007, 08:35 PM #8 (permalink)  
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Yup. It's not a SNG. You have 100bbs at all times so just chill!

So many times I have gotten myself into the mode of raising every single hand and betting no matter what and it backfired but I couldn't figure out what I was doing. i thought I had to bluff to keep my head above water if I was paying blinds every single hand.

I still raise an asston of hands preflop but I don't get retarded. If the opponent starts 3-betting then I'll tighten up.

Two ways to megatilt them:
1. Start limping and calling preflop and then messing with them postflop
2. If you each get to over 200bb's and you feel uncomfortable playing against an overaggressive opponent with 200bbs, just say GG and find another table. You can worry about deep stack poker after you get used to 100bb HU.

(btw i'm making an article on this, I don't think anybody minds do they?)
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SmackinYaUp
Old 08-25-2007, 08:39 PM #9 (permalink)  
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Oh also, (this is a repeat from another HU thread) don't talk yourself into ridiculous calls just because it's heads-up. Look a the board, betting patterns, table dynamics, and opponent. The number of people dealt in tells you a lot less than those things.
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