[Midnight sun]

Okej, perhaps i shouldn't really complain. I'm doing quite well for myself in online sng's. I mainly play 10$ and 20$ 10-seat sng, and place in the money just a bit over half the time right now and very rarely go out early, so i'm doing money. But somehow i really can't get my **** togheter when i'm heads up. I do occasionally win them, but to me, it's seems like its often somewhat of a lottery when the blinds make the chipleader shortstacked.

So, any advice how to make the first spot more often? Should i try yo take advantage of the blinds and just push with any 2 more often? And what to do when you're a huge chipleader with, say 12k vs 3k and the blinds are 500/1k and i get delt absolute rags like 3 6 off. I find it quite annoying, if i play them i will most likely get called and be an underdog, while giving up to many blinds in a really shitty run of cards can easily turn it around to my disadvantage. I'm a bit frustrated about this. In my opinion, this is the weakest part of my game, and i want to change this to my favour. Also, i know fixing this would make my roll grow in a much nicer pace, so shoot, go ahead and educate me.

[yeltzen]

There's not much you can do. Heads up in a sit'n'go are pretty much all luck because the blinds are so high and the heads up is usually someone with 5500 chips vs. someone with 4500 chips. In that situation just be willing to go all in before the flop with anything half decent and pray.

Now, if you get heads up and the breakdown is like 8000 vs. 2000... if you're the 8000 stack be more willing to wait for a "premium" hand (i.e. something with an A or K10, KJ, QJ, KQ)... don't call his all in with something like 98s and just hope to get lucky. You have too many chips.

But when your stacks are pretty comparable you just have to hope to get lucky.

[d_p]

imho, 95% of the time head's-up at the end is a total crap-shoot. This is where poker becomes "gambling." The person who goes on a run of good cards or gets a string of lucky flops (more likely) will win regardless of chip stack unless the leader is just way ahead and the other guy only has like two or three blinds left.

My strategy for heads-up, and it seems to work for me, is to play just about any two cards unless they are total crap and to never let my opponent see a free flop or a free turn card. That means always raise whether you are small or big blind pre-flop and always bet on the turn. I will call pre-flop with a good hand once in a while just to throw them off and I always fold things like 26o 24o etc. I will check on the river but only if I have nothing because at this point, it means my opponent has called my bets/raises so they must have something. Of course, if they bet big or raise your bet and you have nothing, just throw it away.

What you are really hoping for is that your opponent makes middle or low pair and you have top pair and they bet big first.

If your stacks are relatively equal and the blinds are still low comparatively, then there is still room to play some poker and not get too crazy with the risk-taking above. But this is pretty rare I've found.

[austin5string]

Aggressive, aggressive, aggressive.

That's my three hints for heads up at the end of SnGs.

~John

[chipper57AA]

Aggressive, aggressive, aggressive.

That pretty much somes it up. Especially if you have a chip lead, don't let em see a cheap flop.

You also HAVE to let go your real bad crap too. Play only the hands that have a reasonable shot at improving.

And of course when you play - play em aggressively. Typically, you'll see a ton of ALL-IN moves by the low stack on any pocket pair or suited Ace or sometimes just on a bluff.

Ya, heads up is a crap shoot. Typically if you catch any part of the flop - play it aggressively.

If you find the secret to winning heads up consistantly - write a book and you'l make even more money!!!!

[jldecarlo]

It seems like I have read (HOH2?) that your chances of winning in a heads-up situation (where the blinds are a sig part of the stack) is pretty much equal to your percentage of the total chips.

So you have half the chips -- you'll win half the time.

You have a 9:1 chip lead -- you'll win 90% of the time.

Even if you are a much better (or worse) player than your opponent, you can't change this very much unless the blinds are relatively small.


L

[Pseudo Stud]

Yeah, I'd agree with austin5sting up there (and possibly someone who also said it) you need aggression to win. If the blinds are big you're still reaping a reward every time. Also don't let him go in for free. No Free Cards. If your foe is a pretty tight player, a check-raise would be a good thing to use every once in a while too.

Good luck in your next game.

(EDIT: That's pretty interesting Jldecarlo, I've never heard that before. Of course I haven't read "Harrington on Hold 'em" either)

[yeltzen]

Originally Posted by Pseudo Stud

(EDIT: That's pretty interesting Jldecarlo, I've never heard that before. Of course I haven't read "Harrington on Hold 'em" either)

You ain't missing much.

[crisb]

Best advice I could give would be to adjust to the style of player your facing. If he raises on the button everytime throw in a big reraise with a mediocore hand and he will most likely fold (7-8 suited, QJ , KJ, etc.) If you are playing a tight player you need to ALWAYS play the button for a raise (3X the BB), you will accumulate chips easily this way. STAY aggresive with the chip lead and once you get him low stacked (meaning a double up keeps you in the chip lead) wait for a good spot and take a risk to knock him out..(a dry ace etc.)

[SpeakEasy]

Originally Posted by austin5string

Aggressive, aggressive, aggressive.

That's my three hints for heads up at the end of SnGs.

Either this, or offer to chop.