Big Blinds Poker Quiz

This is a two part Sit and Go Quiz that looks at what to do in a heads up situation when the blinds are big compared to your stack and there is a big payout difference between 1st and 2nd.

Part 1) In a Sit and go when it gets down to heads up and the blinds are say 200/400 and you have 4k in chips and your opponet has 9500 in chips what is your stratregy?

a)Do you just push or fold?

b)What type of hands do you play?

c)How do you react when the blinds increase and you M ratio goes down?

Part 2) Now reverse the situation, you now have 9500 in chips and your opponet has 4k in chips the blinds are still 200/400.

a)Are you willing to sit back and wait for good hands or will you try and steal all the blinds?

b)What type of hands do you play?

c)How do you react when the blinds increase and you M ratio goes down?

Please label your answers with the corresponding number and letter and post your reply

Fold, fold, fold raise, raise shove.

At those blinds/stack you can't fold too many hands before you are left with crumbs. First to bet I'm either folding or raising. If I can see a cheap flop because villain only called, great. If I have to call a raise from the sb, I might with any connectors, or face cards.

There is really little difference as to how one plays given your stack size examples. However, if the 'M' drops below 6 or 7 there really is only one move.

In both circumstances, I'm trying to see a flop cheaply with pretty much any two cards.

When the blinds get really big, say 600/1200 with these stacks, I'm probably shoving any promising hand (paint cards, any ace, any pair, maybe) pre-flop in either case

At this point of the match these blinds don't faze me. I play the same with either chip stack as I have already changed gears and am quite aggresive.

Hmm seems to be a bit of a crap shoot when i play HU any help for that?

Always be aggressive with big stack.

In first scenario, with 10 big blinds it's tough to get much play. I'd mix up regular bets with shoving for any hand I chose to play.

Check out the post I made yesturday this should help(heads up play). Let me know if you need more help with it..............

Heads up is as much a "head" game as it is luck of the draw. If you haven't been setting yourself up to have the psychological advantage while there were 4 and 3 players left, either you haven't been getting the cards or your opponents are as aggressive or more aggressive than you.

Specific advice on how to play heads up is really pretty difficult, generally I would advise anyone to play SNG's to get a feel for final table experience. There you'll learn how to psychologically set up the other players for when you get to heads up action. Different players react differently to aggressive action or even slow playing a nut flop, the best place to get experience for that are SNG's.

IMHO

I absolutly agree with you. Great advice..............

yes Sir, no place better to get the Final Table feel than 18-27-45 player
S&G's Freeplay chips @ 10,500 is where is gets a bit more mature in a 'real' buy-in scenario (play chips are precious! LOL)

The best practice for nothing IMO, or on PokerStars at least they have a Freeplay HU buy-in for 1050 chips..but is more like a 16 level shoot-out
since the starting stacks are equal to begin each round.

It is good practice playing from the short stack HU and the Big stack.
As the dynamic and mental aspects of each end are the strategy.

Short stacked is Raise to steal if BB is TAG, or Limp in when PassiveTight
and trap check, and check raise...when short stacked with TPTK, Set or nut flush. <-- be the calling station w/the nuts and POUND the RIVER!

Big Stack I'd say fold marginal hands on the button and Raise 4X BB to steal or playing Paint connectors and suited.
Big stack in BB call 1x raises w /ATC or fold any garbage if over 2x BB raise.
BB w/ Top rate PP's check or flat call any raise, or Shove to steal.
(Depending on opponent)

~that's only from my experiences in S&G's (w/27-45 players)~

Part 1) In a Sit and go when it gets down to heads up and the blinds are say 200/400 and you have 4k in chips and your opponet has 9500 in chips what is your stratregy?

a)Do you just push or fold?
Fold! plus it depends on the SNG BUY-in...if second place is worth it i'll push and try to get lucky, but i'll always go for first!

b)What type of hands do you play?
Statistically raise with an Ace or King usually, and suited connectors.
c)How do you react when the blinds increase and you M ratio goes down?
If im about to be blinded out i usually push on the small blind to try and steal the BB. Its the only option you have you can't wait for a good hand.

Part 2) Now reverse the situation, you now have 9500 in chips and your opponet has 4k in chips the blinds are still 200/400.

a)Are you willing to sit back and wait for good hands or will you try and steal all the blinds? Def. Sit Back, try to push him off his BB though and chip him down.

b)What type of hands do you play?
Quality mainly A, K high, all the paints try and pick him apart and catch him bluffing to make his stack bigger to survive.

c)How do you react when the blinds increase and you M ratio goes down?

stay calm and keep playing smart