Heads up in MTT tournament HOW it's PLAY ?

BogdanStark

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Especial forum regulars and experts are encouraged to this thread.

Private MTT. 245 players

You get into final table. Played well and now, you are head's up against good aggressive player. Your stacks 75/25 (opponent has more chips)

So, question is: how we need to play in this case?
My thoughts:
All-in push with King and Ace high or 55+ (otherwise blinds will kill me if I starts play this hand than push)
 
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ph_il

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In that situation, when I only have 1/4 the chips in play, I just jam every hand.

Villain can call with a lot of hands and I'm usually in a 60-40 situations, which isn't that bad at all. If villain has a pair, hopefully I have overs or 1 over/1 under. In either case, it's 50-50 or 70-30 and I'm happy to take those odds. Worst case scenario is villain has over pair or a better kicker like AK vs A5, but even then I still have a 20% to beat them. This, of course, is if villain is willing to call off with a lot of hands. If not, repeat jamming can easily chip away at their stack until we're even.

And if I lose, I'm happy with 2nd. There's no way I'm going to wait around for a hand, so I'm happy to make moves on my opponent quickly to apply maximum pressure. On top of that, what have I got to lose? I'm already behind and pretty much have 2nd locked up.
 
Aceplayer55

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1/4 of the chips is plenty, just one big hand and you are even.

The blinds are never a problem when the final two start to play. This is because their stacks get boosted substantially when 3-5 are knocked out. Blinds can become a problem, but not until many, many hands have been played. Two-handed play is fast, so you play a lot hands before the blinds increase.

Practice two-handed play and you'll easily beat those that dont.
 
Poker Orifice

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In that situation, when I only have 1/4 the chips in play, I just jam every hand.

I would never do this ^

First off it depends on how deep 'effective stacks' are.
Secondly 'we play poker' (a.k.a. we try to exploit villain's tendancies &/or weaknesses).
In order to do this, we learn how to play poker. ez game!

gl
 
Poker Orifice

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In that situation, when I only have 1/4 the chips in play, I just jam every hand.

Villain can call with a lot of hands and I'm usually in a 60-40 situations, which isn't that bad at all. If villain has a pair, hopefully I have overs or 1 over/1 under. In either case, it's 50-50 or 70-30 and I'm happy to take those odds. Worst case scenario is villain has over pair or a better kicker like AK vs A5, but even then I still have a 20% to beat them. This, of course, is if villain is willing to call off with a lot of hands. If not, repeat jamming can easily chip away at their stack until we're even.

And if I lose, I'm happy with 2nd. There's no way I'm going to wait around for a hand, so I'm happy to make moves on my opponent quickly to apply maximum pressure. On top of that, what have I got to lose? I'm already behind and pretty much have 2nd locked up.


Or we could outplay villain & just win.
 
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ph_il

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Or we could outplay villain & just win.
That's true. However, constant jamming puts a ton of pressure on the villain and if they call light, the risk doubling me up and I can adjust my stat if that happens. So, there's a chance they tighten up instead of taking that risks and I pick up a lot of chips in the process.

If I am called, I'm usually not that bad of a spot. However, if I just limp or standard raise, or even wait for good hands, I either chip myself away or I open the door to let opponent apply max pressure on me, which is not what I want. At the same time, I can call shoves much lighter.

This strategy is only if we're at a significant chip deficit and blinds are high. Once we build a stack or get near even, strategy changes.
 
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Good advice from Philthy. There is no sense waiting around to get good hands.
 
MoeJurphy

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Agreed Philthy, Heads up play can go from short stack to big stack in any hand with any cards. I would be fold/shoving limp/shoving big hands.
 
BogdanStark

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In that situation, when I only have 1/4 the chips in play, I just jam every hand.

Villain can call with a lot of hands and I'm usually in a 60-40 situations, which isn't that bad at all. If villain has a pair, hopefully I have overs or 1 over/1 under. In either case, it's 50-50 or 70-30 and I'm happy to take those odds. Worst case scenario is villain has over pair or a better kicker like AK vs A5, but even then I still have a 20% to beat them. This, of course, is if villain is willing to call off with a lot of hands. If not, repeat jamming can easily chip away at their stack until we're even.

And if I lose, I'm happy with 2nd. There's no way I'm going to wait around for a hand, so I'm happy to make moves on my opponent quickly to apply maximum pressure. On top of that, what have I got to lose? I'm already behind and pretty much have 2nd locked up.

Nice quote about maximum pressure.
As I had time to notice, my opponents wants to play every hand no matter how strong. Several times my all-in were bitten down against 54o and J3o was hurt...but 2nd place was pretty good.
 
luiaguila

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aggressive play speculative hands and weak hands and expect decisions does the chip leader
 
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hffjd2000

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Have to get a share of the pot. I suppose at this juncture, pot is so important and huge.

If opponent is aggressive, must mutate also to be one just to have a share of the pot.

Dont allow him to bully you until the end.
 
BogdanStark

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Have to get a share of the pot. I suppose at this juncture, pot is so important and huge.

If opponent is aggressive, must mutate also to be one just to have a share of the pot.

Dont allow him to bully you until the end.

One time I had opponent who has 1/3 of all chips in heads up with against me.
And I bit him. What I notice?
Firstly he played very aggressive, pushed all the times. And when I doubled up 2 times he began play more tight with more afraid =)
Secondly after my doubles ( I was double up after long waiting for strong enough hand) cards started come to me.
Thirdly I was lucky, opponents change his hands range (change strategy, stop pushed)
 
TulasMoreno

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In that situation i usually play agressive, Ax or Kx all in all the way waiting to win one coinflip and then when the stacks are almost the same 50%50% ill wait for good spots.
 
Fenix7

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When I am small Stack. I try to see the flop cheap and if I connect I strong bet, Just go all in with 99+.
When I'm Big Stack I Raise Preflop regularly, won his Blind or I get information of your hand if he Calls or Reraise.
When I finish 2th is it against a very nice hand.
 
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freestocks

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I like to keep the pressure on. B. E. B. E. Aggressive.
 
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