Flint Bones

Recently at Bristol, I went card dead when heads up vs Tye. We each had around 60 000 and the blinds were 3000/6000 with 1000 ante.
In a matter of 7 hands I got 7,2 8,3 2,5 3,6 10,3 8,3 8,4 so the blinds killed me and Tye raised every time (good for him). My question is, what do you do in this situation? Calling a 15 000 raise with crap hands like that is dangerous. Unfortunately I tried to make a move with 3,4 clubs and got beat (but I had outs). In our heads up I saw an ace once and won with it. Other than that I saw nothing over a 10 (and I saw the 10 only once to a 16 000 raise).

Suggestions?

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AK*1

You've just got to really watch your opponent and jam a re-raise back at him when you think he is the weakest. Suited connector is ideal, but any two cards will do if you pick the right spot (i.e., when his raising hand is shit).

Obviously, the trick is to have fold equity when you make your move. If you wait too long, he'll call any re-raise and you're left hoping to hit a miralce flop. You should be trying to pick up whatever info you can on your opponent. There is a strange art to head's up play, but you've got to be aggressive. The way I see it, playing the odds is not the best way to go at this. You've got to be playing your opponent first and foremost.

Note - I don;t play online so I can't speak for that side of it. But in live games, you need to use guile and intuition.

Simply waiting for big hands is the worst way to play heads up. The blinds are usually so huge you'll kill yourself. He most likely noticed this and kept attacking. In the end, pick your spots, be aggressive and hope to hit some flops. What else can you do?

Flint Bones

I understand how to play heads up. And I wasn't waiting for big hands, I was waiting for a hand that wasn't 7 2 or 8 3.

I don't want to sound rude, but read my question. You're giving me a lesson on heads up, my question is about being card dead. If I pushed on most of the hands I was dead (since my opponent showed a few times).

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Hork42

Re-read AK*1's answer, because he answered exactly what you asked.

What can you do when you're card dead? Ask for a deck change? Heads-up, it's easy. You don't need cards to win heads-up as much as you do with more players. You might have to push crappy hands. If you're behind, then you're behind... and there's not much you can do to win except hope that you catch up.

You had the right idea by making a move with 43s. (I'd prefer to make it with bigger cards though - even a single facecard-rag will be better heads-up) As AK*1 said, you're looking for spots that you think you have leverage on your opponent.

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SirWatts

plan A: Push with crap, hope he doesn't call.
Plan B: Push with crap, hope you suck out.

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AcidJoe

don't forget plan C. Hope you don't get blinded out before a card rush hits.

Flint: I"ve raised preflop with 7 2. You have to make some small moves and see what the reaction is. I'd start pushing because your opponent doesn't wanna double you up. Pushing with crap at least gives ya live cards unless you run ito a large pocket pair.

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ScottyZ

With a stack size of around $60,000, blinds $3,000-$6,000 ($1,000), I would move all-in on someone who made it $15,000 to go with any two cards most of the time.

With both players short stacked relative to the blinds, it may be easier to play heads-up assuming that your opponent is card dead. Don't let looking at your own raggedy cards discourage you.

ScottyZ

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STR82ACE

Heads up is more of a game of playing the person more so than playing the cards you're being dealt. Sometimes you have to push with garbage and either hope for a fold or a suckout. It's really a chance to see how well you know your opponent, what would he do with whatever he has in his hands. Have to mix it up alot more in headsup too. Slow play monsters and push junk and hope for the best.

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Zithal

I'm wondering if there's such a thing as card dead when it gets to heads up. Harrington, volume 2 has an excellent chapter dedicated to this, outlining various hand v. hand combinations and showing that any two cards is not that big of a dog against any two other cards.

For example, let's say that player 1, (we'll call him Tye) had 72o and player 2, (we'll call him, say.... Andrew) had A5o. Well, in this fictional case that has no bearing on reality what so-ever, the A5 is only a 2-1 favorite here.

From watching the heads-up match, I think the biggest mistake was the very first hand. You had 61k to his 59k, Tye was in the small blind, raised and you folded which gave the chip lead over to Tye. (Each pot was 11K before the cards were dealt. Know Tye is an aggressive player that will push with any two, I think re-raising all-in with any 2 is best play here. You may get a little fold equity, but at worse your probably a 2-1 dog for first place money. With only 20BB's between you two, the money is going in soon, so I'd be tempted to give it a shot where I'd have a chance to bust my opponent.

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stpboy

I also have a hard time pushing my money in when I don't have a decent hand, so I can understand what you're saying. I agree with Zithal and the others that any two cards can win the pot when heads up, it depends on how you play them. you have to really be able to change into that gear and allow yourself to 'play' poker, you can't sit around waiting for premiums. Ask that fictional character "Tye" about going card dead when heads up. Last year in the TOC him and I were heads up and he was card dead, I pushed him off several pots. I actually pushed the very first hand all-in to give him the chip lead knowing that the very first hand was likely to dictate how he viewed my play was going to be. I already knew he was going to be aggressive. First hand was my 22 vs. his AQ. Anyway, the hardest thing I find in poker is being able to manufacture chips. That's why heads up is so difficult at times, if you're not getting cards and you can't manufacture, you're not going to win.

stp

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Flint Bones

I know that folding to "Tye" have up my meager lead, but I couldn't call for another $16 000 more with 72. Maybe I should have, (although he did show 66). This is definately something to think about. I just hate playing like hell for 6 hours to turn it into Bingo at the end. Basically going all in with any two cards. But judging from the consensus, I really have little choice. It is just hard to change gears like that so fast. My mistake. Next Bristol I'll just push and win it all.

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esool

The key to what everyone is saying, is not to call but push all in and hope he folds. What kind of hand can he call with?

harthgosh

heheh yeah, this is the best IMO.Â* Â*Although you forgot
Plan D: Get dealt some better cards.Â*