I promised an article when the Dean left...

[Rupert]

defending A2o as default HU has to be a leak

[AlexMartin]

meh, was gonna do this then looked at flushies and agreed to 90%. Fkit ill edit his.

Well here is a quiz.. (I actually wrote it for somewhere else, but I figured some peeps might enjoy doing it)

Quiz One: Starting Hands

Knowing which hands to play and when to play them is the most important factor in how you are going to fare in a tournament. Let's find out what you would do in these situations.

Part One: First Level of the WSOP. You have your starting stack of 30k and know nothing of about your tablemates. Do you enter the pot (call or raise) with these holdings?

1. UTG you are dealt AT suited, call, raise or pass? Raise
2. You have 66 on the button, a player in middle position makes it 300 to play, the cutoff calls, what is your best play? Call
3. Four Players limp for 100, you have T9o in the small blind, do you complete, raise or fold? Call
4. Four Players limp for 100, you have K2o in the small blind, what do you do here? Fold
5. An early position player makes it 400 to go, everyone folds to you in the bb where you squeeze KK. Call or raise? Call

Part Two: Level 5 of a UKPT (200-400). The Chip Average is 15,000 but you have lost a big pot and are struggling with 5,000. Which of these hands do you play?

1. UTG you are dealt AQo. Call, Raise or Pass? Jam
2. A loose aggressive (LAG) player with over 20k makes it 1000 to go everyone folds to you on the button where you have 55. The blinds both have roughly average stacks. What is your play? Jam
3. A loose aggressive (LAG) player with over 20k makes it 1000 to go everyone folds to you on the button where you have ATo. The blinds both have roughly average stacks. What is your play this time? Jam
4. Everyoneone folds to you on the button where you have KQs. Both blinds are somewhat tight and have a little below average stacks. Call, raise or pass? Jam
5. UTG (A loose player with 25k) makes it 1000 to go. Four players call. You have JJ in the bb. What is your play? Jam

Part Three: Level 9 of the EPT Monte Carlo (1,500-3,000/300). You are two off the money. You have exactly the chip average of 210,000. Your table is a normal mix of two aggressive Scandies, two lunatic Frenchmen, a tight German and couple of Pokerstars qualifiers who both play really well. All of them have comfortable positions but no one has a dominant stack. (They all have between 150 and 250k).

1. One of the Scandies opens in the cutoff for 8k. You have TT on the button. What is your play? 3bet to 5bet assuming i have aggro imageOr if frenchies are in the blinds flat to induce a squeeze
2. The German opens in middle position for 10k. You have AKo in the small blind, call or raise? 3bet
3. One of the pokerstars players opens for 7.5k. You have A9o in the bb. This time what do you do? Fold
4. The Frenchman with the biggest stack on the table opens for 9k and you have 88 on the button. Pass, call or raise? Flat
5. You are dealt AJo UTG. What is you best course of action? Raise to 8k


Part Four: The start of the Final Table of the WPT Championship at Bellagio. The blinds are 20,000-40,000/3,000. You have a medium stack of 2mill. The chip leader is Phil Ivey with 5mill. Daniel Negreanu has 3mill; Neil Channing has the same stack as you. A Dot.com millionaire has 1.2mill and Vannessa Rousso has 750k.

1. Ivey opens UTG for 100k. Negreanu calls on the button. You have ATo in the sb. What is the best play? Fold
2. Ivey opens UTG for 100k. Negreanu calls on the button. You have 66 in the sb. This time what do you? Flat
3. Channing raises to 110k UTG. Ivey, Negreanu and Rousso all call. You have AQ in the bb. Call or Raise? FlatSqueeze, 6handed, augment by 25% when all fold, he will be opening wide enough utg 6handed for this to be profitable
4. You have 76s UTG. What do you do? Raise
Fold
5. Negreanu opens for 95k in the cuttoff. You have AKs on the button. Raise or Call? 3bet


Part Five: You are heads up for the WSOP main event. You are dead even in chips with a guy who has no cashes according to the hendonmob database. Yet he has played pretty well. He uses position well, is pretty aggressive and understands all the key concepts. He doesn't seem overawed by the situation he finds himself. Blinds are 1mill-2mill/100k. Your stack is 90mill. Even in chips Keith?

1. You have the button and are dealt KQo. Pass, Call or Raise? Raise
2. You have the button and have 98s. What is best here? Raise
3. Your opponent opens for 5.5mill. You have A2 in the bb. Now what? Flat3bet
4. Same scenario. He Raises to 5.5m, this time you hold QJ in the bb. Call, Pass or Raise? Flat
5. One more time he raises to 5.5million. This time you have KK in the bb. Call or raise? 3betFlat

[Claw75]

meh, was gonna do this then looked at flushies and agreed to 90%. Fkit ill edit his.

Well here is a quiz.. (I actually wrote it for somewhere else, but I figured some peeps might enjoy doing it)

Quiz One: Starting Hands

Knowing which hands to play and when to play them is the most important factor in how you are going to fare in a tournament. Let's find out what you would do in these situations.

Part One: First Level of the WSOP. You have your starting stack of 30k and know nothing of about your tablemates. Do you enter the pot (call or raise) with these holdings?

1. UTG you are dealt AT suited, call, raise or pass? Raise
2. You have 66 on the button, a player in middle position makes it 300 to play, the cutoff calls, what is your best play? Call
3. Four Players limp for 100, you have T9o in the small blind, do you complete, raise or fold? Call
4. Four Players limp for 100, you have K2o in the small blind, what do you do here? Fold
5. An early position player makes it 400 to go, everyone folds to you in the bb where you squeeze KK. Call or raise? Call

Part Two: Level 5 of a UKPT (200-400). The Chip Average is 15,000 but you have lost a big pot and are struggling with 5,000. Which of these hands do you play?

1. UTG you are dealt AQo. Call, Raise or Pass? Jam
2. A loose aggressive (LAG) player with over 20k makes it 1000 to go everyone folds to you on the button where you have 55. The blinds both have roughly average stacks. What is your play? Jam
3. A loose aggressive (LAG) player with over 20k makes it 1000 to go everyone folds to you on the button where you have ATo. The blinds both have roughly average stacks. What is your play this time? Jam
4. Everyoneone folds to you on the button where you have KQs. Both blinds are somewhat tight and have a little below average stacks. Call, raise or pass? Jam
5. UTG (A loose player with 25k) makes it 1000 to go. Four players call. You have JJ in the bb. What is your play? Jam

Part Three: Level 9 of the EPT Monte Carlo (1,500-3,000/300). You are two off the money. You have exactly the chip average of 210,000. Your table is a normal mix of two aggressive Scandies, two lunatic Frenchmen, a tight German and couple of Pokerstars qualifiers who both play really well. All of them have comfortable positions but no one has a dominant stack. (They all have between 150 and 250k).

1. One of the Scandies opens in the cutoff for 8k. You have TT on the button. What is your play? 3bet to 5bet assuming i have aggro imageOr if frenchies are in the blinds flat to induce a squeeze
2. The German opens in middle position for 10k. You have AKo in the small blind, call or raise? 3bet
3. One of the pokerstars players opens for 7.5k. You have A9o in the bb. This time what do you do? Fold
4. The Frenchman with the biggest stack on the table opens for 9k and you have 88 on the button. Pass, call or raise? Flat
5. You are dealt AJo UTG. What is you best course of action? Raise to 8k


Part Four: The start of the Final Table of the WPT Championship at Bellagio. The blinds are 20,000-40,000/3,000. You have a medium stack of 2mill. The chip leader is Phil Ivey with 5mill. Daniel Negreanu has 3mill; Neil Channing has the same stack as you. A Dot.com millionaire has 1.2mill and Vannessa Rousso has 750k.

1. Ivey opens UTG for 100k. Negreanu calls on the button. You have ATo in the sb. What is the best play? Fold
2. Ivey opens UTG for 100k. Negreanu calls on the button. You have 66 in the sb. This time what do you? Flat
3. Channing raises to 110k UTG. Ivey, Negreanu and Rousso all call. You have AQ in the bb. Call or Raise? FlatSqueeze, 6handed, augment by 25% when all fold, he will be opening wide enough utg 6handed for this to be profitable
4. You have 76s UTG. What do you do? Raise
Fold
5. Negreanu opens for 95k in the cuttoff. You have AKs on the button. Raise or Call? 3bet


Part Five: You are heads up for the WSOP main event. You are dead even in chips with a guy who has no cashes according to the hendonmob database. Yet he has played pretty well. He uses position well, is pretty aggressive and understands all the key concepts. He doesn't seem overawed by the situation he finds himself. Blinds are 1mill-2mill/100k. Your stack is 90mill. Even in chips Keith?

1. You have the button and are dealt KQo. Pass, Call or Raise? Raise
2. You have the button and have 98s. What is best here? Raise
3. Your opponent opens for 5.5mill. You have A2 in the bb. Now what? Flat3bet
4. Same scenario. He Raises to 5.5m, this time you hold QJ in the bb. Call, Pass or Raise? Flat
5. One more time he raises to 5.5million. This time you have KK in the bb. Call or raise? 3betFlat

+2 (one for me, and one for bolt)

[The Camel]

I don't think I would jam with AQ in part 2.

I'm looking for action, hoping for a shove from a big stack.

I make it 1000 to play.

[Rupert]

I don't think I would jam with AQ in part 2.

I'm looking for action, hoping for a shove from a big stack.

I make it 1000 to play.

Too many mega nits that if they 3 bet i'd almost feel compelled to fold.  Also gets awkward when good reg flats

[The Camel]

I don't think I would jam with AQ in part 2.

I'm looking for action, hoping for a shove from a big stack.

I make it 1000 to play.

Too many mega nits that if they 3 bet i'd almost feel compelled to fold.  Also gets awkward when good reg flats

Have you played a UKPT event recently.

Not many mega nits around these days.

[The Camel]

I would definitely flat with the QJ in part 5 and sometimes flat with the A2 (depending exactly how active he's been on the button).

Flatting from the bb quite regularly sets up the flat with KK in Q5.

If you've not flat called before flatting with KK is just too obvious.

[Royal Flush]

I don't think I would jam with AQ in part 2.

I'm looking for action, hoping for a shove from a big stack.

I make it 1000 to play.

Too many mega nits that if they 3 bet i'd almost feel compelled to fold.  Also gets awkward when good reg flats

lolz a reg who flats an open from a 12bb stack is by definition not a good reg, unless they setting someone up with the nuts.

[Rupert]

I don't think I would jam with AQ in part 2.

I'm looking for action, hoping for a shove from a big stack.

I make it 1000 to play.

Too many mega nits that if they 3 bet i'd almost feel compelled to fold.  Also gets awkward when good reg flats

lolz a reg who flats an open from a 12bb stack is by definition not a good reg, unless they setting someone up with the nuts.

true dat

[AlexMartin]

I don't think I would jam with AQ in part 2.

I'm looking for action, hoping for a shove from a big stack.

I make it 1000 to play.

dangerous risk that you will spark a baguette calling train and have to giveup postflop after missing. Opening small with 5k utg looks stronger than a 5k allin jam too i think.

[BulldozerD]

Well here is a quiz.. (I actually wrote it for somewhere else, but I figured some peeps might enjoy doing it)

Quiz One: Starting Hands

Knowing which hands to play and when to play them is the most important factor in how you are going to fare in a tournament. Let's find out what you would do in these situations.

Part One: First Level of the WSOP. You have your starting stack of 30k and know nothing of about your tablemates. Do you enter the pot (call or raise) with these holdings?

1. UTG you are dealt AT suited, call, raise or pass? raise
2. You have 66 on the button, a player in middle position makes it 300 to play, the cutoff calls, what is your best play? call
3. Four Players limp for 100, you have T9o in the small blind, do you complete, raise or fold? complete
4. Four Players limp for 100, you have K2o in the small blind, what do you do here? fold
5. An early position player makes it 400 to go, everyone folds to you in the bb where you squeeze KK. Call or raise? call mostly, occasionally raise
Part Two: Level 5 of a UKPT (200-400). The Chip Average is 15,000 but you have lost a big pot and are struggling with 5,000. Which of these hands do you play?

1. UTG you are dealt AQo. Call, Raise or Pass? shove
2. A loose aggressive (LAG) player with over 20k makes it 1000 to go everyone folds to you on the button where you have 55. The blinds both have roughly average stacks. What is your play? shove
3. A loose aggressive (LAG) player with over 20k makes it 1000 to go everyone folds to you on the button where you have ATo. The blinds both have roughly average stacks. What is your play this time? shove mostly, sometimes fold
4. Everyoneone folds to you on the button where you have KQs. Both blinds are somewhat tight and have a little below average stacks. Call, raise or pass? shove
5. UTG (A loose player with 25k) makes it 1000 to go. Four players call. You have JJ in the bb. What is your play? shove

Part Three: Level 9 of the EPT Monte Carlo (1,500-3,000/300). You are two off the money. You have exactly the chip average of 210,000. Your table is a normal mix of two aggressive Scandies, two lunatic Frenchmen, a tight German and couple of Pokerstars qualifiers who both play really well. All of them have comfortable positions but no one has a dominant stack. (They all have between 150 and 250k).

1. One of the Scandies opens in the cutoff for 8k. You have TT on the button. What is your play? 3bet to 21k
2. The German opens in middle position for 10k. You have AKo in the small blind, call or raise? 3bet to 28k, but can depend on my table image
3. One of the pokerstars players opens for 7.5k. You have A9o in the bb. This time what do you do? pass
4. The Frenchman with the biggest stack on the table opens for 9k and you have 88 on the button. Pass, call or raise? call
5. You are dealt AJo UTG. What is you best course of action? raise to 7.5k


Part Four: The start of the Final Table of the WPT Championship at Bellagio. The blinds are 20,000-40,000/3,000. You have a medium stack of 2mill. The chip leader is Phil Ivey with 5mill. Daniel Negreanu has 3mill; Neil Channing has the same stack as you. A Dot.com millionaire has 1.2mill and Vannessa Rousso has 750k.

1. Ivey opens UTG for 100k. Negreanu calls on the button. You have ATo in the sb. What is the best play? pass quickly
2. Ivey opens UTG for 100k. Negreanu calls on the button. You have 66 in the sb. This time what do you? call
3. Channing raises to 110k UTG. Ivey, Negreanu and Rousso all call. You have AQ in the bb. Call or Raise? raise
4. You have 76s UTG. What do you do? pass
5. Negreanu opens for 95k in the cuttoff. You have AKs on the button. Raise or Call? raise


Part Five: You are heads up for the WSOP main event. You are dead even in chips with a guy who has no cashes according to the hendonmob database. Yet he has played pretty well. He uses position well, is pretty aggressive and understands all the key concepts. He doesn't seem overawed by the situation he finds himself. Blinds are 1mill-2mill/100k. Your stack is 90mill.

1. You have the button and are dealt KQo. Pass, Call or Raise? raise
2. You have the button and have 98s. What is best here?  raise
3. Your opponent opens for 5.5mill. You have A2 in the bb. Now what? probably pass, maybe call
4. Same scenario. He Raises to 5.5m, this time you hold QJ in the bb. Call, Pass or Raise? call
5. One more time he raises to 5.5million. This time you have KK in the bb. Call or raise? make it 12.5m or call depending on recent history

[The Baron]

Well here is a quiz.. (I actually wrote it for somewhere else, but I figured some peeps might enjoy doing it)

Quiz One: Starting Hands

Knowing which hands to play and when to play them is the most important factor in how you are going to fare in a tournament. Let's find out what you would do in these situations.

Part One: First Level of the WSOP. You have your starting stack of 30k and know nothing of about your tablemates. Do you enter the pot (call or raise) with these holdings?

1. UTG you are dealt AT suited, call, raise or pass? Raise
2. You have 66 on the button, a player in middle position makes it 300 to play, the cutoff calls, what is your best play? Flat
3. Four Players limp for 100, you have T9o in the small blind, do you complete, raise or fold? Flat
4. Four Players limp for 100, you have K2o in the small blind, what do you do here? Flat
5. An early position player makes it 400 to go, everyone folds to you in the bb where you squeeze KK. Call or raise? Flat

Part Two: Level 5 of a UKPT (200-400). The Chip Average is 15,000 but you have lost a big pot and are struggling with 5,000. Which of these hands do you play?

1. UTG you are dealt AQo. Call, Raise or Pass? Shove
2. A loose aggressive (LAG) player with over 20k makes it 1000 to go everyone folds to you on the button where you have 55. The blinds both have roughly average stacks. What is your play? Shove
3. A loose aggressive (LAG) player with over 20k makes it 1000 to go everyone folds to you on the button where you have ATo. The blinds both have roughly average stacks. What is your play this time? Shove
4. Everyoneone folds to you on the button where you have KQs. Both blinds are somewhat tight and have a little below average stacks. Call, raise or pass? Raise
5. UTG (A loose player with 25k) makes it 1000 to go. Four players call. You have JJ in the bb. What is your play? Shove

Part Three: Level 9 of the EPT Monte Carlo (1,500-3,000/300). You are two off the money. You have exactly the chip average of 210,000. Your table is a normal mix of two aggressive Scandies, two lunatic Frenchmen, a tight German and couple of Pokerstars qualifiers who both play really well. All of them have comfortable positions but no one has a dominant stack. (They all have between 150 and 250k).

1. One of the Scandies opens in the cutoff for 8k. You have TT on the button. What is your play? 3 bet
2. The German opens in middle position for 10k. You have AKo in the small blind, call or raise? raise
3. One of the pokerstars players opens for 7.5k. You have A9o in the bb. This time what do you do? depends on his position
4. The Frenchman with the biggest stack on the table opens for 9k and you have 88 on the button. Pass, call or raise? raise
5. You are dealt AJo UTG. What is you best course of action? raise to 7.5-8k


Part Four: The start of the Final Table of the WPT Championship at Bellagio. The blinds are 20,000-40,000/3,000. You have a medium stack of 2mill. The chip leader is Phil Ivey with 5mill. Daniel Negreanu has 3mill; Neil Channing has the same stack as you. A Dot.com millionaire has 1.2mill and Vannessa Rousso has 750k.

1. Ivey opens UTG for 100k. Negreanu calls on the button. You have ATo in the sb. What is the best play? riase
2. Ivey opens UTG for 100k. Negreanu calls on the button. You have 66 in the sb. This time what do you? raise
3. Channing raises to 110k UTG. Ivey, Negreanu and Rousso all call. You have AQ in the bb. Call or Raise? raise
4. You have 76s UTG. What do you do? pass
5. Negreanu opens for 95k in the cuttoff. You have AKs on the button. Raise or Call? raise


Part Five: You are heads up for the WSOP main event. You are dead even in chips with a guy who has no cashes according to the hendonmob database. Yet he has played pretty well. He uses position well, is pretty aggressive and understands all the key concepts. He doesn't seem overawed by the situation he finds himself. Blinds are 1mill-2mill/100k. Your stack is 90mill.

1. You have the button and are dealt KQo. Pass, Call or Raise? raise
2. You have the button and have 98s. What is best here? raise
3. Your opponent opens for 5.5mill. You have A2 in the bb. Now what? 3 bet
4. Same scenario. He Raises to 5.5m, this time you hold QJ in the bb. Call, Pass or Raise? flat
5. One more time he raises to 5.5million. This time you have KK in the bb. Call or raise? 3 bet

[lucky_scrote]

Came here to post that defending HU with A2o with deepish stacks is very very bad. A8 is the cutoff unless stacks are really shallow.

[AlexMartin]

Came here to post that defending HU with A2o with deepish stacks is very very bad. A8 is the cutoff unless stacks are really shallow.

w 45bb? dont buy it. Appreciate that A rag plays like death postflop hu but please extrapolate Dan as i know u are a hu guru.

[Cf]

Well here is a quiz.. (I actually wrote it for somewhere else, but I figured some peeps might enjoy doing it)

Quiz One: Starting Hands

Knowing which hands to play and when to play them is the most important factor in how you are going to fare in a tournament. Let's find out what you would do in these situations.

Part One: First Level of the WSOP. You have your starting stack of 30k and know nothing of about your tablemates. Do you enter the pot (call or raise) with these holdings?

1. UTG you are dealt AT suited, call, raise or pass? raise
2. You have 66 on the button, a player in middle position makes it 300 to play, the cutoff calls, what is your best play? flat
3. Four Players limp for 100, you have T9o in the small blind, do you complete, raise or fold? complete
4. Four Players limp for 100, you have K2o in the small blind, what do you do here? complete and hope to hit trip deueces fold
5. An early position player makes it 400 to go, everyone folds to you in the bb where you squeeze KK. Call or raise? either is fine

Part Two: Level 5 of a UKPT (200-400). The Chip Average is 15,000 but you have lost a big pot and are struggling with 5,000. Which of these hands do you play?

1. UTG you are dealt AQo. Call, Raise or Pass? shove
2. A loose aggressive (LAG) player with over 20k makes it 1000 to go everyone folds to you on the button where you have 55. The blinds both have roughly average stacks. What is your play? shove
3. A loose aggressive (LAG) player with over 20k makes it 1000 to go everyone folds to you on the button where you have ATo. The blinds both have roughly average stacks. What is your play this time? shove
4. Everyoneone folds to you on the button where you have KQs. Both blinds are somewhat tight and have a little below average stacks. Call, raise or pass? shove
5. UTG (A loose player with 25k) makes it 1000 to go. Four players call. You have JJ in the bb. What is your play? flat and set mine shove

Part Three: Level 9 of the EPT Monte Carlo (1,500-3,000/300). You are two off the money. You have exactly the chip average of 210,000. Your table is a normal mix of two aggressive Scandies, two lunatic Frenchmen, a tight German and couple of Pokerstars qualifiers who both play really well. All of them have comfortable positions but no one has a dominant stack. (They all have between 150 and 250k).

1. One of the Scandies opens in the cutoff for 8k. You have TT on the button. What is your play? 3bet
2. The German opens in middle position for 10k. You have AKo in the small blind, call or raise? 3bet
3. One of the pokerstars players opens for 7.5k. You have A9o in the bb. This time what do you do? depends how active i've been defending, fold or flat
4. The Frenchman with the biggest stack on the table opens for 9k and you have 88 on the button. Pass, call or raise? 3bet/flat
5. You are dealt AJo UTG. What is you best course of action? fold


Part Four: The start of the Final Table of the WPT Championship at Bellagio. The blinds are 20,000-40,000/3,000. You have a medium stack of 2mill. The chip leader is Phil Ivey with 5mill. Daniel Negreanu has 3mill; Neil Channing has the same stack as you. A Dot.com millionaire has 1.2mill and Vannessa Rousso has 750k.

1. Ivey opens UTG for 100k. Negreanu calls on the button. You have ATo in the sb. What is the best play? bow down to phil ivey, then fold
2. Ivey opens UTG for 100k. Negreanu calls on the button. You have 66 in the sb. This time what do you? bow down to phil ivey, then call
3. Channing raises to 110k UTG. Ivey, Negreanu and Rousso all call. You have AQ in the bb. Call or Raise? bow down to phil ivey, then call
4. You have 76s UTG. What do you do? raise, then take satisfaction that i've raised phil ivey off a hand with 76s if he folds
5. Negreanu opens for 95k in the cuttoff. You have AKs on the button. Raise or Call? 3bet


Part Five: You are heads up for the WSOP main event. You are dead even in chips with a guy who has no cashes according to the hendonmob database. Yet he has played pretty well. He uses position well, is pretty aggressive and understands all the key concepts. He doesn't seem overawed by the situation he finds himself. Blinds are 1mill-2mill/100k. Your stack is 90mill.

1. You have the button and are dealt KQo. Pass, Call or Raise? min-raise, then flat any reasonable 3bet
2. You have the button and have 98s. What is best here? min-raise, then flat any reasonable 3-bet
3. Your opponent opens for 5.5mill. You have A2 in the bb. Now what? depends how active i've been defending. generally fold though, occasionally call
4. Same scenario. He Raises to 5.5m, this time you hold QJ in the bb. Call, Pass or Raise? call
5. One more time he raises to 5.5million. This time you have KK in the bb. Call or raise? call, i virtually never raise from the BB heads up so raising would be a bit of a giveaway

(My preflop heads up play is v straightforward. min-raise button 90% of the time, fold other 10%. if BB raises then fold trash, and flat with anything half decent and premiums. In BB fold most of the time, if defending then call 95% of time, raise 5%. Only defend with pairs/scs/good aces/kings. Fold raggy aces/kings/trash. Basically: play bigger pots in position, don't play pots out of position, and stay v consistent with my preflop action so it's hard to get a read of my hand)