blonde poker forum

This could be one of those hypothetical poker question thingies but it isn't.  This is an actual HU game i just played on Pjokerstars.

Very 1st hand, I am in the SB and first to act.  Blinds are 10-20 and we start with 1500 chips on 10 minute levels, so there is plenty of play in this should you so wish.

I am dealt  Ad Kd

I decide to spice things up with a little Russian Roulette by moving all-in trying to set a tone for the game but i also know i may get a call with AQ or a small pair and i don't mind having a little race.  If i am the other guy, I personally wouldn't call without AA, KK, AK or QQ, maybe JJ!  I would want to wait, play a little and hope that my oppo was going to make a habbit of this move and wait for one of the above hands to bust him with.  My question to the board is.......

What is the minimum holding you take a stab with? -  assuming you have no information on your opponent, you assume you have a 0% edge over him and your playing for stakes that are 'normal' for you.

I will post the hand later - it was rather amusing.  :D

Junior

Having just started on the HU road I find this interesting.
I have to say I feel first hand does set the standard re: level of aggression for the rest of the game.
If I was playing well within my roll and knew I could just sit down in the same seat with the hope of getting the same player again I would call with any pair 1010 or above or AK I would not call with AQ.
If I was playing a bigger table having moved up a couple of levels after winning a few games and was well into the session I would only call with QQ, KK or AA.

Interested to see if that makes me tight.
Hope this one runs.

he called all in with K6s and ht a 6 to win?

btw, I played 5 x $5 heads up and moved all in every hand to test the theory about winning 40% of the time etc.  I actually lost all 5, but the interesting thing was watching them adapt, how quickly or slowly they did.

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26th of March '05, heads up experiment
I wanted to see what would happen if I went all in EVERY hand. See how the opponents reacted, see how often I won etc.  So I played 5 heads up games, buy in $5 +0.25, starting chips 1500, starting blinds 10/20.
Game 1.……..he folded the first 8 hands then called with A5 against my Q7, down to 320 chips, a few hands later he called my K6 with Q4, I doubled up, then he called my K8 with A8 and put me out. Played 14 hands, won 11 without showdown  and won 1 of 3 showdowns.
Game 2.…….hand 3 he called with A7 against my K7, I was down to 60 chips, next hand he raised all in with J3, my 83 was no good… out. Played 4 hands, won 2 without showdown and won 0 of 2 showdowns.
Game 3.…….this guy waited until hand 10, he had K9s, I had 64...I hit a straight on the turn, he flushed on the river, down to 360 chips, next hand he called my AJ with K2 and I won, up to 720, next hand, my QJ lost to KQ, out…..Played 12 hands, won  9 without showdown, and won  1 of 3 showdowns.
Game 4.……..7th hand he picked up QQ, my J4 struggled, 220 chips left, next hand he raised all in with J6, I had A6, he hit a jack and put me out…..Played 8 hands, won 6 without showdown and won 0 of 2 showdowns.
Game 5.…….hand 5 he calls my Q6 with A7 and beats me, down to 140 chips, 4 hands later he calls my A3 with Q7 and puts me out……Played 9 hands, won 7 without showdown and won 0 of 2 showdowns.
Played 5 won 0 lost 5
Well my first thoughts……..I won’t be trying that again! Interesting though if you look at what happened. The first hand they play is of course before I was short and if they lose they are out, so how long do they wait, what do they call with?…..they made their first call after 3,5,7,9,10 hands, and called with QQ,A7,A7,K9s,A5.…..so once they realise what is happening, any ace will do, and K9s looks pretty hot too  against a guy  going all in every hand……I was behind every time but to lose all 5 was still a surprise, ok now what about once I was short AND they knew what I was up to………these are the hands that called me…..Q4,A8,J3,K2,KQ,J6,Q7.…….so you see how they have lowered their starting requirements to any face card……now I understand that I was poor and they were not having much fun but it highlights an interesting point don‘t you think……of the 7 hands, I was ahead  4 times and won only 2, opponent was ahead 3 times and won all 3.…..now earlier, when it was their first call, they took more care and I was behind 5 out of 5, but now I’m short, I am ahead 4 of 7!…….although this sounds crazy, I was quite unlucky……….total showdowns…….I was behind 8 times and lost all 8, I was ahead 4 times and won 2 lost 2.……….interestingly I was ahead 1 in 3 times, and they got to choose!  And did anyone say anything to me?  I said nothing, and I never showed my cards………only one guy spoke, it was game 4.….as his jack came on the flop and I was going out, he typed ‘bye!’
Well it was fun but I won’t be doing it again, I’d be interested to see if it was any different at the higher buy ins……..but I think that will have to wait………..

very interesting! - i like these studies / experiments.
Come on keep your posts coming and i will post the hand later.

By the way - this isn't a disguised bad beat story - i won the hand  :D

Thats with short stacks m8

Well I think if luck had been even I would have won 2 of the 5 anyway so maybe it's short stacks or $5 players :)

Anyway, - my oppo called after a dwell with  8h 9h !

he flopped a straight  7h Ts Qd

but the turn was

 Jc

to give me victroy.

Can't believe he called with that - i wonder what he was thinking?! - perhaps he put me on a small pair and fancied the gamble?

I probably call with AK and any picture pair. might talk myself into a lower pair in the heat of the moment.

Live it's be dependant on my oppo's demeanor too.

Edit required to swap the Q&J around Junior.

I take what you say about his 98 but if he is just there for the quick fix gamble as many small hu games are, then he knows that there is a good chance he has two live cards and tbh its better than someone who would call with AT which many do. You are not making this move with AA KK QQ JJ TT (although I am not advocating calling 75bb with 98 :) ).

With regards to your 'setting the tone' method, out of interest, if he had passed, would you have shown the hand?

You know the answer to this " But they were sooooted"  :D

stoneii