Sit and Go's when HU

ol-stone-face

When the tables get to heads up what is it with players that constantly go all-in preflop? I don't know if it's just a blip because I don't have a huge sample or anything but sheesh!!! It's like they have read that aggression HU is good so they take it to the extreme.
Been playing the $5+0.50's. I guess you just sit back and wait for a hand?
Doesn't anybody want to play post flop in these things?

ReefAquarium

Can you be a bit more specific?

What are the stack sizes when people are pushing all in?

If the blinds total more than 5x my stack I have one bet.... All in.

ol-stone-face

I'm talking about players that have plenthy of chips left. Doesn't matter if they are the leader or behind, just all-in, all-in, all-in. I played a SNG last night and we get to heads up. My opponent played a great game to this point and had the lead when we got HU. I couldn't understand why he starts pushing like a mad man. Up until now he had played some pretty solid poker. Just seems typical at this level is all.
I'm thinking, geez why does this happen so often. I've started lurking tables that are HU and I notice the same thing quite often. Of course not all the time but I still find it amazing. Hey, I don't mind or anything but it doesn't make much sense. Maybe it's too much poker on TV.

I agree with you about being in the "blinding out" zone. Should have been clearer.

Cheers

Wolffhound

OSF-
I think what you run into here as well at 5+.50 (I play em, so, its not a shot) is guys have been at this game for 1 1/2hrs, and figure lets get this done and start another one. They are willing to throw their chips in wildly figuring at worse they've doubled their money. For the difference in money, they don't see the point of playing HU for 35-40 minutes.

D

ol-stone-face

Ya I guess you're right. I hadn't even thought of that. thanks.

GTA Poker

I don't see that at the $30-$150 games if the blinds are stilll reasonable. On occasion you still get it, but it's not tough to beat. Mostly it happens when you really outplay someone in a hand and they get pissed if it does happen in these games, but it's generally a short stack gambling play to get back to decent chip status.

Wolffhound

I wouldn't think you'd see it at 30-150.00 games, but, OSF was talking about 5.50's.

scotsrule

OSF
I play a lot of 5+50 SNGs = full, and shorthanded turbo

If I get heads up (especially in the turbos) and I have a substantial chip lead - I will push a lot, especially when the blinds have gotten really high and when I read my opponent as very tight, preferably weak tight - my reasoning is that I can steal a lot of blinds, I can force my opponent to start calling with some weak holdings, and if he doubles through me once - so be it, and then I will change gears - next time I push I will have a premium hand, and he will call with crap because he will not believe I have anything
It works really well for me
Plus I also think Wolfhound makes a valid point - sometimes I do it because I just want to end it and get into a new game - especially if I am a substantial dog in relation to chip stack
Cheers
Scots

ScottyZ

When the tables get to heads up what is it with players that constantly go all-in preflop?

The blinds (relative to the stacks) in a SNG are normally big enough when it gets to the heads-up stage that this kind of strategy, while not great, is not horrible either. I would almost never describe the short stacked player (which represents the current "active" stack size) as having "plenty of chips" during the heads-up stage of a typical SNG.

In fact, moving all-in with most hands probably is a pretty good strategy for someone who does not believe they are a skilled heads-up player. The fact that being a move in specialist removes most of the "play" from the tournament actually helps someone who is not a skilled heads-up player. This is the fundamental idea behind both Sklansky's "The System" and Ed Miller's small stack NL cash game stretegy.

I guess you just sit back and wait for a hand?

Yes, of course. How long to wait, and what exactly "a hand" is aren't so easy to get a handle on. However, even having their post-flop skill edge removed by this kind of opponent, someone who is capable of making good pre-flop decisions in the face of continuous all-in bets will still hold a substantial advantage over their opponent.

ScottyZ

SirWatts

I am a push bot in the $50 SNGs but that's just due to the blinds getting enormous and being pot committted anyways if someone comes over the top. To beat these people pushing when the stacks are deeper you need to wait for a hand and call. How much of a hand you should wait for depends on how deep the stacks are but in general I've found you're better off making a stand sooner with a good but not great hand (say maybe Ax or KT) then waiting for a big pair or something like AQ/AK once you've lost a lot chips to his steals.

Redington

Not to Hijack,

But where are you guys getting the $50-100 SitNgoes? I find that I have to wait for them at least an hour on UB.

As for the Mega push, start raising your small blind before he has a chance to push. You get some extra equity in him folding, and he needs to have very strong cards to push.

If you can beat him into the pot you can take the wind away.

If he was just a monkey pushing any cards..then well ooo oo oo oo ....

Put your chips in the middle and hope for the best...

SirWatts

On party there's another batch of 3 or 4 starting every minute at the 50 level and on Stars the 55 turbos fill pretty regularly as well.

ol-stone-face

Lee Jone's answer to my question (well not my question specifically). Interesting article.

http://www.cardplayer.com/poker_magazine/archives/showarticle.php?a_id=15250

ScoobyD

The article is interesting from a game theory perspective. It's also generated a sort of war among some more seasoned poker authors as to why Jones is dead wrong in saying that Harrington should have called with the Q7o. Quite frankly I agree with the criticism on that aspect... More info on 2+2 for those interested...