Hi,

I started my career playing SnG's but have played almost all Ring recently.

I have been watching the world heads-up on TV recently and thought it would be a nice change of pace from the insane 6 max $100 Ring games I've been on .

So I was just practising some $25 heads-up for fun and ended back in the SnG section on my various sites (less rake)

I thought I try my hand at some of the Stars $15 Turbo 9-hands SnG's. I used to play em a while back.

Played 11 SnG's over the past couple of days (2 at once - they take about 35 mins to finish on average).

Made the money 7/11. This is pretty good anyway, but what is really nice is what happened once I make the money


6x 1st places and 1x 3rd place


$176 investment
$432 return



And the main reason is that I'm just a better heads up player than most of the other folks I've come across - they tend to panic and let themselves get trapped too easily. Unless it's been a long-slog SnG you still have enough time to play some real poker heads-up - not just push n hope..

So the moral of this story is to make sure that you are on top of your end game play - if your results aren't looking top heavy when you get into the money you may have some work to do..

I was one and one, yesterday, and specifically looked at this as I played. The first one was easy as my opponent didn't have a clue.

When you're heads up, never fold the SB. You're getting 2:1 with absolutely nothing, so why not see the flop? Opponent did this several times. (Opponent also bet a dry pot when two covered a small stack AI, so he obviously wasn't very good.) I mixed in raises and calls from the BB, and it wasn't long before he was pushing nothing and I finished him off.

The second was impossible. No matter how I played it, he got better cards. I'd climb back into the lead and get AT to his AQ. I had K8 and he had KQ. Just couldn't get a hand that wasn't beaten going in, just enough flops to keep me going until I was gone. Nothing I could do about his getting better starting hands.

It's great to be the better player, but sucks when you don't get the cards which allow you to use that advantage.

Good thread, excession.

CJ

OK played 2 more this morning - made 3rd and 1st (again)
Here is the transcript of the game once we got down to HU with my though process in italics:

*********** # 14 **************
PokerStars Game #2912761973: Tournament #14364091, Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) - 2005/10/28 - 08:45:54 (ET)
Table '14364091 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 3: consilience (4935 in chips)
Seat 6: mhall19 (3260 in chips)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (5305 in chips)
consilience: posts the ante 25
mhall19: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts the ante 25
consilience: posts small blind 100
mhall19: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to consilience
ryanmack91: calls 200
consilience: calls 100
mhall19: raises 3035 to 3235 and is all-in
ryanmack91: raises 2045 to 5280 and is all-in
consilience: folds
consilience said, "good luck"
*** FLOP ***
consilience said, "ouch"
*** TURN ***
*** RIVER ***
*** SHOW DOWN ***
mhall19: shows (a pair of Threes)
ryanmack91: shows (two pair, Aces and Threes)
ryanmack91 collected 6745 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 6745 | Rake 0
Seat 3: consilience (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: mhall19 (big blind) showed and lost with a pair of Threes
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (button) showed and won (6745) with two pair, Aces and Threes

OK and so the HU begins with me outchipped 1:2:
*********** # 13 **************
PokerStars Game #2912763537: Tournament #14364091, Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/10/28 - 08:46:35 (ET)
Table '14364091 1' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 3: consilience (4710 in chips)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (8790 in chips)
consilience: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts the ante 25
consilience: posts small blind 200
ryanmack91: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to consilience
consilience said, "ok i need to tell you that i've won the last 8 HU this week - so i'm due a loss"
consilience: folds
ryanmack91 collected 450 from pot
ryanmack91: doesn't show hand
consilience said, ";@_)"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 450 | Rake 0
Seat 3: consilience (button) (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (big blind) collected (450)

[I know that the wisdom is never to fail to complete from the SB, but he’s high after his big win and likely to raise me up, I want him to think I’m only going to complete with decent hands so he doesn’t auto-raise me – ideally I want a hand strong enough to push back with when he does put me to the test. I’m hoping that this precedent might also encourage him not to complete on occasion (which would also buy me time). I’m also tipping him off that I’ve a good record – this is again meant to slow him down a bit and give me some time to catch some cards]

*********** # 12 **************
PokerStars Game #2912764304: Tournament #14364091, Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/10/28 - 08:46:55 (ET)
Table '14364091 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 3: consilience (4485 in chips)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (9015 in chips)
consilience: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts small blind 200
consilience: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to consilience
ryanmack91: raises 8590 to 8990 and is all-in
consilience: folds
ryanmack91 collected 850 from pot
ryanmack91: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 850 | Rake 0
Seat 3: consilience (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (button) (small blind) collected (850)

[OK – easy fold – if he is going to do that too often I’ll hopefully trap him – I still have time – I need to try to win a pot in the next hand or two though]

*********** # 11 **************
PokerStars Game #2912764834: Tournament #14364091, Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/10/28 - 08:47:08 (ET)
Table '14364091 1' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 3: consilience (4060 in chips)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (9440 in chips)
consilience: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts the ante 25
consilience: posts small blind 200
ryanmack91: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to consilience
consilience: raises 400 to 800
ryanmack91: calls 400
*** FLOP ***
ryanmack91: checks
consilience: bets 1600
ryanmack91: folds
consilience collected 1650 from pot
consilience: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1650 | Rake 0
Seat 3: consilience (button) (small blind) collected (1650)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (big blind) folded on the Flop

[OK went well – it looked a relatively safe board to bet out into and my image is tight – couldn’t see him calling without overpair, 6 or 5]

*********** # 10 **************
PokerStars Game #2912765516: Tournament #14364091, Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/10/28 - 08:47:25 (ET)
Table '14364091 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 3: consilience (4885 in chips)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (8615 in chips)
consilience: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts small blind 200
consilience: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to consilience
ryanmack91: folds
consilience collected 450 from pot
consilience: shows (high card Queen)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 450 | Rake 0
Seat 3: consilience (big blind) collected (450)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (button) (small blind) folded before Flop

[Now with a big chip lead I would never fold – but I figured that Q8 beat whatever junk he had so I showed in an attempt to positively re-inforce his fold]

*********** # 9 **************
PokerStars Game #2912765880: Tournament #14364091, Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/10/28 - 08:47:35 (ET)
Table '14364091 1' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 3: consilience (5110 in chips)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (8390 in chips)
consilience: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts the ante 25
consilience: posts small blind 200
ryanmack91: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to consilience
consilience: calls 200
ryanmack91: raises 1200 to 1600
consilience: folds
ryanmack91 collected 850 from pot
ryanmack91: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 850 | Rake 0
Seat 3: consilience (button) (small blind) folded before Flop

Tested an SB completion and got raised as I figured. Still that means a limp from SB with a monster mike get a nice big raise off him.

*********** # 8 **************
PokerStars Game #2912766406: Tournament #14364091, Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/10/28 - 08:47:49 (ET)
Table '14364091 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 3: consilience (4685 in chips)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (8815 in chips)
consilience: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts small blind 200
consilience: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to consilience
ryanmack91: calls 200
consilience: checks
*** FLOP ***
consilience: checks
ryanmack91: bets 800
consilience: raises 800 to 1600
ryanmack91: folds
consilience collected 2450 from pot
consilience: shows (a pair of Queens)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2450 | Rake 0
Seat 3: consilience (big blind) collected (2450)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (button) (small blind) folded on the Flop

I check raised then showed him the top pair – again all psychological stuff to imply that whenever I push back I have a good hand and to re-inforce his laydowns.

*********** # 7 **************
PokerStars Game #2912767719: Tournament #14364091, Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/10/28 - 08:48:22 (ET)
Table '14364091 1' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 3: consilience (5910 in chips)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (7590 in chips)
consilience: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts the ante 25
consilience: posts small blind 200
ryanmack91: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to consilience
consilience: raises 400 to 800
ryanmack91: folds
consilience collected 850 from pot
consilience: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 850 | Rake 0
Seat 3: consilience (button) (small blind) collected (850)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (big blind) folded before Flop

Good – having seen me with the goods, he is currently prepared to lay down to a min raise. Almost caught him in chips now.

*********** # 6 **************
PokerStars Game #2912768220: Tournament #14364091, Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/10/28 - 08:48:35 (ET)
Table '14364091 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 3: consilience (6335 in chips)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (7165 in chips)
consilience: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts small blind 200
consilience: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to consilience
ryanmack91: raises 800 to 1200
consilience: folds
ryanmack91 collected 850 from pot
ryanmack91: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 850 | Rake 0
Seat 3: consilience (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (button) (small blind) collected (850)

[Let him win one – I’m not picking a fight with 53o]

*********** # 5 **************
PokerStars Game #2912768951: Tournament #14364091, Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/10/28 - 08:48:54 (ET)
Table '14364091 1' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 3: consilience (5910 in chips)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (7590 in chips)
consilience: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts the ante 25
consilience: posts small blind 200
ryanmack91: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to consilience
consilience: folds
ryanmack91 collected 450 from pot
ryanmack91: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 450 | Rake 0
Seat 3: consilience (button) (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (big blind) collected (450)

Again I feel I have time and am re-inforcing my tight image by folding a really bad hand from the SB.


*********** # 4 **************
PokerStars Game #2912769363: Tournament #14364091, Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/10/28 - 08:49:05 (ET)
Table '14364091 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 3: consilience (5685 in chips)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (7815 in chips)
consilience: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts small blind 200
consilience: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to consilience
ryanmack91: folds
consilience collected 450 from pot
consilience: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 450 | Rake 0
Seat 3: consilience (big blind) collected (450)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (button) (small blind) folded before Flop
*********** # 3 **************

[And it’s catching ]

PokerStars Game #2912769773: Tournament #14364091, Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/10/28 - 08:49:15 (ET)
Table '14364091 1' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 3: consilience (5910 in chips)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (7590 in chips)
consilience: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts the ante 25
consilience: posts small blind 200
ryanmack91: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to consilience
consilience: calls 200
ryanmack91: checks
*** FLOP ***
ryanmack91: checks
consilience: bets 800
ryanmack91: folds
consilience collected 850 from pot
consilience: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 850 | Rake 0
Seat 3: consilience (button) (small blind) collected (850)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (big blind) folded on the Flop

[Very weak from him – but as I’ve completed he has to put me on something better than him – if he had been stronger he might have forced me into a push with this or a similar hand by now, but he’s given me time to find a big hand and I’m breathing down his neck chips-wise now]

*********** # 2 **************
PokerStars Game #2912770525: Tournament #14364091, Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/10/28 - 08:49:34 (ET)
Table '14364091 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 3: consilience (6335 in chips)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (7165 in chips)
consilience: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts small blind 200
consilience: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to consilience
ryanmack91: raises 6740 to 7140 and is all-in
consilience: calls 5910 and is all-in
*** FLOP ***
ryanmack91 said, "arg nh"
*** TURN ***
*** RIVER ***
*** SHOW DOWN ***
consilience: shows (a straight, Ten to Ace)
ryanmack91: shows (two pair, Aces and Queens)
ryanmack91 said, "haha"
consilience collected 12670 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 12670 | Rake 0
Seat 3: consilience (big blind) showed and won (12670) with a straight, Ten to Ace
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (button) (small blind) showed and lost with two pair, Aces and Queens

Would I have busted out if the hand had been reversed? I’d like to think that I would lay down AQo to an all-in push from him as (figuring dog to any pair) but I have to hold my hands up and say I’m not sure. Don’t think I would have pushed all in with it myself – but if he had re-raised me back all-in after a 1200 push I might well have ended up calling.
*********** # 1 **************
PokerStars Game #2912771579: Tournament #14364091, Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/10/28 - 08:50:02 (ET)
Table '14364091 1' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 3: consilience (12670 in chips)
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (830 in chips)
consilience: posts the ante 25
ryanmack91: posts the ante 25
consilience: posts small blind 200
ryanmack91: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to consilience
consilience: raises 400 to 800
ryanmack91: raises 5 to 805 and is all-in
consilience: calls 5
*** FLOP *** [2s Td 4h]
ryanmack91 said, "gg"
*** TURN ***
*** RIVER ***
*** SHOW DOWN ***
ryanmack91: shows (a pair of Fours)
consilience: shows (two pair, Fours and Deuces)
consilience said, "thanx"
consilience collected 1660 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1660 | Rake 0
Board [2s Td 4h 4s 8s]
Seat 3: consilience (button) (small blind) showed and won (1660) with two pair, Fours and Deuces
Seat 7: ryanmack91 (big blind) showed and lost with a pair of Fours.

39 minutes +$51.5 (also made third (+$9) on another table played in parallel – critical hand there was:

*********** # 32 **************
PokerStars Game #2912741154: Tournament #14364029, Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2005/10/28 - 08:36:51 (ET)
Table '14364029 1' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: msperling (3955 in chips)
Seat 2: consilience (4815 in chips)
Seat 7: kyleleston (4730 in chips)
consilience: posts small blind 100
kyleleston: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to consilience
consilience said, "one diamond"
msperling: folds
consilience said, "?"
consilience: raises 400 to 600
kyleleston: raises 4130 to 4730 and is all-in
consilience: calls 4130
*** FLOP ***
*** TURN ***
*** RIVER ***
consilience said, "nice"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
consilience: shows (two pair, Queens and Deuces)
kyleleston: shows (two pair, Kings and Deuces)
kyleleston collected 9460 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 9460 | Rake 0
Seat 1: msperling (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: consilience (small blind) showed and lost with two pair, Queens and Deuces
Seat 7: kyleleston (big blind) showed and won (9460) with two pair, Kings and Deuces

Ho hum…same guy (who was laggy) had pushed all in hand before on 3 diamond flop when I had second pair…made the right call.

Played 2x 9 player $15 SnG's tonight (1st and 4th)
also started playing the HU SnG's on Paradise (won 4 out of 5 at $5 and $10)

that means since I restarted SnG's I'm 8/8 when I get to heads up in a normal SnG and 4/5 in the HU SnG's


I suspect I'm just playing against very bad players - they are continually overaggressive and check/raises, weak-lead/re-raises and limp re-raises just kill em.

I'm fully aware that 12/13 wins HU isn't sustainable, but I'm finding it hard to imagine at this level of play that I can't win close to 70%...


I'll let you know how it goes (I'm in an SnG mood at the moment after dropping 2 buy-ins on the $100 NL tables this afternoon - every time I got a good hand someone was lurking with a monster - and I went on tilt to finish off the 2nd buy-in)...