NLHE - ITM and Heads up play

[somedude]

So you've made it (whether in a MTT or SNG) to heads up and you're ITM:

Assuming that the stacks are fairly level, would be interested to hear others thoughts on raising hands, all-in hands, and those on which you'd call an all-in.

Specifically - Raise, Push or be willing to call all-in (which, if any, would you do with these) with these hands:


Small unsuited Ace
Big unsuited Ace (A9+)
Small suited Ace
Big suited Ace (A9+)
Big suited broadway
Small/Mid pocket pair (8s-)

I've left out the big pairs as I'm guessing most would be willing to call all-in with 9s or higher?


I know a lot depends on the player, but as a general rule, and with no reason to think they are a superpro or a donk - just average player.

I see some guys auto-push or auto call all-in with any A, whereas I tend to fold unsuited A's below A8, and most suited A's below A5.

Sorry if this has been hashed out ad naseum already, but I was trolling through the threads and there's a lot about bubble play but not a lot about hand range in heads-up stage of MTT/SNG

 

[CfPoker]

This is highly dependent on the player you're up against and what the blinds are like. I'd reccomend reading the heads up chapter in Harrington on Hold'em 2. He has a nice section about the strength of starting hands heads up.

 

[pupkevicius]

i would only push with ax if the blinds are worth stealing, otherwise wait for a better chance

 

[feitr]

Depends so much on the blinds. In certain turbo matches, it is correct to shove from the SB with ATC because you can't afford to lose your blind (and let your opponent take 3 in a row). Then the rest depends on the tendencies of the person against which you are HU. Some ppl might be shoving almost ATC once they reach HU, in which case you can start to call with hands like any A, any K, a decent Q, any pp, etc

All of those hands you listed are relative monsters in HU play so...

 

[marble]

I know a lot depends on the player, but as a general rule, and with no reason to think they are a superpro or a donk - just average player.

if you got to HU late or just bad tournament structure and both of you are short stack...pretty obvious on what you should be doing.

but my question is this, what's an average player? he still must play a certain way even if he's average. It has a LOT to do with the player you're playing against, especially if it is deep stack.