avoiding coolers

i notice in HU SnGs there are 2 common ways that a game ends. 1 is coolers, and the other is all in preflop.

this thread is about coolers. i wanna learn how to avoid the losing end of a cooler. of course, its a cooler because both players shouldnt reasonably fold. but im sure i might just be playing bad as well.

for example, i just hit top pair on the flop, and i raise pot. i get flat called and hit top 2 pair on the turn. i bet pot again, and again a flat. river is nothing interesting for this hand. ive been flatted so i bet like 1/2 pot, and he shoves. im thinking ive got top 2 pair, im in so deep already, and there are no straight or flush draws on the board. how can i fold.
i called and he turns up a flopped set. cooler? or am i an idiot?

another frustrating cooler: 2 players hit the same set, and the pot gets big of course. but the kicker will probably count. and on top of that who knows if the opponent even has the set, or what kicker he might have. with what kicker range should a set be folded when you think your opponent has the same set?

coolers are irrelevant.

why are they irrelevant?

Coolers are 0 EV and have no strategic relevance.

baudib1 you think on a different level, can you clarify.

You just gotta go with 'the feelin' - - some got it & some don't. ez peezy to laydown monsters when you 'just know' it's a cooler

brrrrrr

There is no way to avoid coolers and as a cooler either means you have the second nuts and you run into the nuts i.e. FH vs quads, the cooler portion of his range is so small compared to the value you get when he has a lower FH or something that you just cant do anything about it.

Or it means you got outdrawn and had the best hand to begin with.

The only caveat is that not all coolers are coolers. If you have the second nut flush and the pasiive guy who has never raised before suddenly goes nuts betting, the fact you run into a higher flush isnt a cooler.

Stack sizes are also a factor. If you were say 300bb deep and hit bottom set on a dry board, the money goes in by the river and he shows top set, this isnt a cooler.

Stu didn't bite? sigh

What Stu says is correct about some coolers not being coolers but since OP is mainly a HU SNG player, coolers are by and large pretty broadly defined. If you have 12 BBs and your opponent has 15 BBs and you raise with AJs and he 3-bets you, you shove, and he shows you AK, that's a cooler.

Or if you raise with KQ, get flatted by the BB and the flop is KKA. If he somehow played a hand that has you beat here this way then just get the money in, shrug and move on.

Baudib is right. HU SNG's are often fairly shallow stacked by the 4th/5th blind level or so when the stacks are going in frequently, and coolers at this stage are unavoidable. If playing much deeper, like HU cash, listen to Stu as some are avoidable. The ones OP talks about are unavoidable

to me, the only way to avoid a true cooler is to have good info on your opponent and for that opponent to have a flaw or tell in his game

If a loose player opens CO and you 3bet with AK from the BTN and get called flop TPTK bet 3 streets because you know he'll call with anything to find he hit a pair on the turn and bottom two pair on the river, how do you avoid that with good info?

Coolers are coolers. We are either behind without knowing or outdrawn. I don't think we can avoid it.

with a loose player you will never avoid a true cooler, but if you were up against a very tight player that was doing something out of the ordinary with his betting pattern ... could you lay down QQ to AA or KK or even KK to AA preflop? ... maybe? ... even a 5 bet knowing your 85% to lose ... ur not priced in ... there would have to be more to it (i.e. bubble play), but i think a player could make a huge lay down in some rare instances

Best (and only) way to avoid coolers is to not play poker. If I get KK and someone shoves I'm fistpumping and snap calling. If I've run into aces not really too bothered. Or you can do what these guy do:

It's just not possible or you will be losing money in the long run

you gotta avoid them all

Wow! Is this a case of knowing your opponent, or did he just get lucky throwing away QQ? Amazing. Sometimes there really is no substitute for "going with your gut".

Matusow is a very good handreader when he is on form.

Against Chris, its probably not quite as amazing as youd think. At best Id give Chris a range of JJ+ AK and maybe as tight as QQ+Ak Chris is very tight.

It is different with Madusow and Ferguson as these guys know each other well. They play against each other often.

At a local casino against some player who you have only played maybe 1000 hands against you cant make the same kind of move.

With that being said I was at a 2-5 game at a brick and mortar SoCal casino and saw a guy fold out KK to AA!!!

The table had a bunch of what seemed to be regs (I dont play there very often). The guy with kings limped UTG, the Button 3 bet, and UTG 4 bet. The flop came out all low cards, pot was about 300+. UTG fired 150 (with another 600 behind) the Button raised to 300 (with another 400 behind)..... UTG folded showing KK... Button showed his AA.

You've got a point. Against a tight range like that, JJ is the only hand you dominate, AK is 50/50, and everything else you're losing. So yeah, probably just a solid play call. Still interesting to see.

Or, more accurately, QQ is 47% vs. a range of JJ+/AK.