Down to 2 Players, What to do?

I just started playing for fun with No Limit at local eateries and bars. Have made it to the final two players twice in a row then lost each time. My strategies for multiplayer play works very well. It fails me when I have only one opponent. I need help! Advice is needed. Links to good articles on the subject would also be very much appreciated. Help me finish off my game play strategy. Thanks.

check the tournament forums

welcome to ftr

What do you have trouble with?

When it becomes heads up, are the stacks usually deep, or are you in push/fold mode?

play wayy looser heads up Ax,Kx and all pocket pairs all become raising and are usually worth a reraise...

read HOH 2 ...there's a whole section in which Dan Harrington dissects a heads up confrontation between Phil Iveyand John D'agostino ..very good read...

What do you have trouble with?

When it becomes heads up, are the stacks usually deep, or are you in push/fold mode?

I should qualify this reply by saying I am not up on all the poker terminology. I am a selective player. I choose the hands I play carefully, though I do bluff when the position and timing is right. The games I have been in that were down to two players have had enough chips involved to keep playing numerous hands, unless the opponent goes all in (naturally).

When I get to heads up with one player I'm just not sure when to play a hand. I can't be nearly as selective as I usually am. If I wait and wait for the right hand when I finally play the opponent folds immediately. I get frustrated waiting for a good hand and it seems when I rush it I get busted. I see a lot of one of us going out after the flop. I keep hoping to lure the opponent into raising while I have strong pocket cards but am not having much luck. A chart of what hands are worth playing in heads up would be helpful.

It really depends on your player. If hes playing tight, steal his blinds and youll win the match 9/10 times. If hes loose, raising every hand, going all in at times, youll need to be that aggressive. (BTW, if hes agressive and pushes he normally will have a good hand, and will think his all in looks weak). Pick up any decent ace or face cards and go over the top of any raise, id suggest all in. good luck.

Whats making you lose heads up?

Do you keep folding and then the blinds make you run out of chips?

Are you just getting outplayed?

Are you getting unlucky?

are stacks deep or short?

Read the SnG / Tournament sections and ask more specific questions

The Terminology:
http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...oker-13407.htm

Originally Posted by dennispaulv

What do you have trouble with?

When it becomes heads up, are the stacks usually deep, or are you in push/fold mode?

I should qualify this reply by saying I am not up on all the poker terminology. I am a selective player. I choose the hands I play carefully, though I do bluff when the position and timing is right. The games I have been in that were down to two players have had enough chips involved to keep playing numerous hands, unless the opponent goes all in (naturally).

When I get to heads up with one player I'm just not sure when to play a hand. I can't be nearly as selective as I usually am. If I wait and wait for the right hand when I finally play the opponent folds immediately. I get frustrated waiting for a good hand and it seems when I rush it I get busted. I see a lot of one of us going out after the flop. I keep hoping to lure the opponent into raising while I have strong pocket cards but am not having much luck. A chart of what hands are worth playing in heads up would be helpful.

I don't play live tournaments but online, I've found that the best thing to do heads up is to keep the pressure on. By that I mean that you always take initiative and keep the other guy reactive. You can beat the crap out of people even when you hold absolute junk cards if you keep them uncomfortable. Someone on this site has a signature line that goes something like this "I only care about my cards if I think I might have to show them". This is really gold heads up. All that being said, the only way to get good at this is to play a lot short handed and heads up. The only way to practically accomplish that (imho) is to play a whole lot of single table SNG.