Looking For Heads Up Improvment

I mostly play in the $5 SNGs (9 person) with the odd heads up match on the side. I have attached the heads up portion of my last one as I find myself with a lot more 2nd place finishes than I think I should. Maybe it's just variance as I feel I am a decent enough HU player that I should be winning more of these things.

In the last hand, I was fully expecting him to raise me as he had done that every time I tried to limp in....that's why I didn't push preflop.

I know this is a small sample size, but in my last 44 games, I have finished 1st 4x, 2nd 12x, and 3rd 6x. So my ROI is 26.45% and ITM is 50% so not bad...but if I could convert even two 2nd place finishes to 1st, my ROI would go up to 32.6%.


The Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) was developed by JeffreyGB at http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com.

---Tournament Summary---
$5.50 SNG: Finished 0/9 for $0
Data for 40 hands.
You played 16 hands (40.00%)
You raised 6 times preflop (15.00%)

K:heart: 4:club: BB (M = 10.27; r+F)

-----Hand 1-----
Hero's M = 9.63
PokerStars Game #10826368347: Tournament #54875269, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) - 2007/07/08 - 03:01:27 (ET)
Condensed history provided by the Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) from http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com
Table '54875269 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 4: rikislief (10130 in chips)
Seat 8: mikeneron (3370 in chips)
All players post the ante 25
mikeneron: posts small blind 100
rikislief: posts big blind 200
Preflop: mikeneron dealt 8:spade: A:spade:
mikeneron: raises 400 to 600
rikislief: folds
mikeneron collected 450 from pot
mikeneron: doesn't show hand



-----Hand 2-----
Hero's M = 10.27
PokerStars Game #10826370010: Tournament #54875269, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) - 2007/07/08 - 03:01:40 (ET)
Condensed history provided by the Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) from http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com
Table '54875269 1' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 4: rikislief (9905 in chips)
Seat 8: mikeneron (3595 in chips)
All players post the ante 25
rikislief: posts small blind 100
mikeneron: posts big blind 200
Preflop: mikeneron dealt 8:spade: 5:spade:
rikislief: calls 100
mikeneron: checks
Flop: Q:club: 9:diamond: 9:heart:
mikeneron: checks
rikislief: bets 200
mikeneron: folds
rikislief collected 450 from pot



-----Hand 3-----
Hero's M = 9.63
PokerStars Game #10826372998: Tournament #54875269, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) - 2007/07/08 - 03:02:00 (ET)
Condensed history provided by the Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) from http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com
Table '54875269 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 4: rikislief (10130 in chips)
Seat 8: mikeneron (3370 in chips)
All players post the ante 25
mikeneron: posts small blind 100
rikislief: posts big blind 200
Preflop: mikeneron dealt 4:diamond: 3:club:
mikeneron: calls 100
rikislief: raises 400 to 600
mikeneron: folds
rikislief collected 450 from pot
rikislief: doesn't show hand


A:diamond: 5:spade: BB (Folded to mikeneron.)

-----Hand 4-----
Hero's M = 9.34
PokerStars Game #10826376290: Tournament #54875269, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VII (100/200) - 2007/07/08 - 03:02:25 (ET)
Condensed history provided by the Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) from http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com
Table '54875269 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 4: rikislief (10230 in chips)
Seat 8: mikeneron (3270 in chips)
All players post the ante 25
mikeneron: posts small blind 100
rikislief: posts big blind 200
Preflop: mikeneron dealt T:diamond: 4:diamond:
mikeneron: calls 100
rikislief: raises 400 to 600
mikeneron: folds
rikislief collected 450 from pot
rikislief: doesn't show hand


8:heart: 5:club: BB (M = 4.68; r+F)

-----Hand 5-----
Hero's M = 4.03
PokerStars Game #10826381106: Tournament #54875269, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2007/07/08 - 03:03:01 (ET)
Condensed history provided by the Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) from http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com
Table '54875269 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 4: rikislief (10880 in chips)
Seat 8: mikeneron (2620 in chips)
All players post the ante 25
mikeneron: posts small blind 200
rikislief: posts big blind 400
Preflop: mikeneron dealt A:club: 3:spade:
mikeneron: raises 2195 to 2595 and is all-in
rikislief: calls 2195
Flop: 6:club: T:heart: 8:club:
Turn: 9:club:
River: Q:club:
Showdown:
rikislief: shows 3:club: 7:diamond: (a flush, Queen high)
mikeneron: shows A:club: 3:spade: (a flush, Ace high)
mikeneron collected 5240 from pot



-----Hand 6-----
Hero's M = 8.06
PokerStars Game #10826384201: Tournament #54875269, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2007/07/08 - 03:03:25 (ET)
Condensed history provided by the Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) from http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com
Table '54875269 1' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 4: rikislief (8260 in chips)
Seat 8: mikeneron (5240 in chips)
All players post the ante 25
rikislief: posts small blind 200
mikeneron: posts big blind 400
Preflop: mikeneron dealt A:heart: 6:diamond:
rikislief: raises 400 to 800
mikeneron: calls 400
Flop: Q:club: A:spade: 9:club:
mikeneron: checks
rikislief: bets 800
mikeneron: raises 1600 to 2400
rikislief: raises 1600 to 4000
mikeneron: raises 415 to 4415 and is all-in
rikislief: calls 415
Turn: 7:heart:
River: 6:club:
Showdown:
mikeneron: shows A:heart: 6:diamond: (two pair, Aces and Sixes)
rikislief: shows Q:heart: 2:spade: (a pair of Queens)
mikeneron collected 10480 from pot


3:club: T:diamond: SB (M = 16.12; F)
A:spade: 2:heart: BB (M = 15.78; p+F)

-----Hand 7-----
Hero's M = 15.12
PokerStars Game #10826396828: Tournament #54875269, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2007/07/08 - 03:04:59 (ET)
Condensed history provided by the Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) from http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com
Table '54875269 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 4: rikislief (3670 in chips)
Seat 8: mikeneron (9830 in chips)
All players post the ante 25
mikeneron: posts small blind 200
rikislief: posts big blind 400
Preflop: mikeneron dealt A:heart: 5:club:
mikeneron: raises 9405 to 9805 and is all-in
rikislief: calls 3245 and is all-in
Flop: 4:spade: 6:diamond: 9:spade:
Turn: K:spade:
River: 3:diamond:
Showdown:
rikislief: shows 3:club: A:diamond: (a pair of Threes)
mikeneron: shows A:heart: 5:club: (high card Ace)
rikislief collected 7340 from pot


T:club: K:heart: BB (Folded to mikeneron.)

-----Hand 8-----
Hero's M = 9.82
PokerStars Game #10826401385: Tournament #54875269, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2007/07/08 - 03:05:33 (ET)
Condensed history provided by the Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) from http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com
Table '54875269 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 4: rikislief (7115 in chips)
Seat 8: mikeneron (6385 in chips)
All players post the ante 25
mikeneron: posts small blind 200
rikislief: posts big blind 400
Preflop: mikeneron dealt K:heart: 5:spade:
mikeneron: calls 200
rikislief: raises 800 to 1200
mikeneron: folds
rikislief collected 850 from pot
rikislief: doesn't show hand


7:heart: T:diamond: BB (Folded to mikeneron.)

-----Hand 9-----
Hero's M = 9.52
PokerStars Game #10826405791: Tournament #54875269, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2007/07/08 - 03:06:07 (ET)
Condensed history provided by the Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) from http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com
Table '54875269 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 4: rikislief (7315 in chips)
Seat 8: mikeneron (6185 in chips)
All players post the ante 25
mikeneron: posts small blind 200
rikislief: posts big blind 400
Preflop: mikeneron dealt 8:club: K:heart:
mikeneron: raises 800 to 1200
rikislief: raises 6090 to 7290 and is all-in
mikeneron: folds
rikislief collected 2450 from pot
rikislief: shows [9h Ad] (high card Ace)



-----Hand 10-----
Hero's M = 7.63
PokerStars Game #10826408821: Tournament #54875269, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2007/07/08 - 03:06:30 (ET)
Condensed history provided by the Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) from http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com
Table '54875269 1' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 4: rikislief (8540 in chips)
Seat 8: mikeneron (4960 in chips)
All players post the ante 25
rikislief: posts small blind 200
mikeneron: posts big blind 400
Preflop: mikeneron dealt 9:club: J:diamond:
rikislief: calls 200
mikeneron: checks
Flop: J:club: 4:heart: 5:diamond:
mikeneron: checks
rikislief: bets 800
mikeneron: raises 1600 to 2400
rikislief: calls 1600
Turn: 8:heart:
mikeneron: checks
rikislief: bets 2200
mikeneron: calls 2135 and is all-in
River: 6:spade:
Showdown:
mikeneron: shows 9:club: J:diamond: (a pair of Jacks)
rikislief: shows Q:heart: 3:club: (high card Queen)
mikeneron collected 9920 from pot


2:club: 5:heart: SB (M = 15.26; F)
2:club: 9:spade: BB (M = 14.92; r+F)
T:club: 4:spade: SB (M = 14.26; F)
K:diamond: 6:spade: BB (Folded to mikeneron.)

-----Hand 11-----
Hero's M = 14.26
PokerStars Game #10826420936: Tournament #54875269, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2007/07/08 - 03:08:03 (ET)
Condensed history provided by the Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) from http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com
Table '54875269 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 4: rikislief (4230 in chips)
Seat 8: mikeneron (9270 in chips)
All players post the ante 25
mikeneron: posts small blind 200
rikislief: posts big blind 400
Preflop: mikeneron dealt Q:spade: 2:spade:
mikeneron: calls 200
rikislief: raises 3805 to 4205 and is all-in
mikeneron: folds
rikislief collected 850 from pot


A:heart: 2:diamond: BB (Folded to mikeneron.)

-----Hand 12-----
Hero's M = 13.95
PokerStars Game #10826428081: Tournament #54875269, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2007/07/08 - 03:08:58 (ET)
Condensed history provided by the Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) from http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com
Table '54875269 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 4: rikislief (4430 in chips)
Seat 8: mikeneron (9070 in chips)
All players post the ante 25
mikeneron: posts small blind 200
rikislief: posts big blind 400
Preflop: mikeneron dealt 6:heart: 6:spade:
mikeneron: raises 8645 to 9045 and is all-in
rikislief: folds
mikeneron collected 850 from pot



-----Hand 13-----
Hero's M = 14.61
PokerStars Game #10826430317: Tournament #54875269, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2007/07/08 - 03:09:15 (ET)
Condensed history provided by the Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) from http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com
Table '54875269 1' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 4: rikislief (4005 in chips)
Seat 8: mikeneron (9495 in chips)
All players post the ante 25
rikislief: posts small blind 200
mikeneron: posts big blind 400
Preflop: mikeneron dealt 7:heart: 8:heart:
rikislief: raises 400 to 800
mikeneron: calls 400
Flop: 9:heart: J:club: 9:club:
mikeneron: bets 800
rikislief: raises 2380 to 3180 and is all-in
mikeneron: folds
rikislief collected 3250 from pot
rikislief: shows [6c 4c] (a pair of Nines)


2:heart: 6:diamond: SB (M = 12.11; F)
2:heart: Q:club: BB (M = 11.76; r+F)

-----Hand 14-----
Hero's M = 11.11
PokerStars Game #10826437911: Tournament #54875269, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level VIII (200/400) - 2007/07/08 - 03:10:13 (ET)
Condensed history provided by the Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) from http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com
Table '54875269 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 4: rikislief (6280 in chips)
Seat 8: mikeneron (7220 in chips)
All players post the ante 25
mikeneron: posts small blind 200
rikislief: posts big blind 400
Preflop: mikeneron dealt 2:diamond: K:diamond:
mikeneron: calls 200
rikislief: raises 1200 to 1600
mikeneron: folds
rikislief collected 850 from pot
rikislief: doesn't show hand


6:spade: Q:diamond: BB (Folded to mikeneron.)
7:club: Q:heart: SB (M = 10.80; F)
J:diamond: Q:diamond: BB (Folded to mikeneron.)
K:spade: 6:club: SB (M = 10.80; F)
Q:spade: 4:spade: BB (M = 10.45; r+F)

-----Hand 15-----
Hero's M = 6.37
PokerStars Game #10826458115: Tournament #54875269, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level IX (300/600) - 2007/07/08 - 03:12:50 (ET)
Condensed history provided by the Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) from http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com
Table '54875269 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 4: rikislief (7130 in chips)
Seat 8: mikeneron (6370 in chips)
All players post the ante 50
mikeneron: posts small blind 300
rikislief: posts big blind 600
Preflop: mikeneron dealt 8:diamond: K:club:
mikeneron: raises 5720 to 6320 and is all-in
rikislief: folds
mikeneron collected 1300 from pot


6:spade: 2:diamond: BB (M = 7.02; f+r+F)
T:club: 2:heart: SB (M = 6.37; F)
K:spade: 2:spade: BB (M = 6.02; r+F)
2:spade: 9:club: SB (M = 5.37; F)
T:club: 9:spade: BB (M = 5.02; r+F)

-----Hand 16-----
Hero's M = 4.37
PokerStars Game #10826472014: Tournament #54875269, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level IX (300/600) - 2007/07/08 - 03:14:39 (ET)
Condensed history provided by the Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) from http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com
Table '54875269 1' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 4: rikislief (9130 in chips)
Seat 8: mikeneron (4370 in chips)
All players post the ante 50
mikeneron: posts small blind 300
rikislief: posts big blind 600
Preflop: mikeneron dealt A:heart: Q:club:
mikeneron: calls 300
rikislief: checks
Flop: K:diamond: 4:club: J:spade:
rikislief: checks
mikeneron: bets 600
rikislief: raises 1200 to 1800
mikeneron: raises 1920 to 3720 and is all-in
rikislief: calls 1920
Turn: 5:heart:
River: 7:diamond:
Showdown:
rikislief: shows 4:diamond: 2:club: (a pair of Fours)
mikeneron: shows A:heart: Q:club: (high card Ace)
rikislief collected 8740 from pot


The Tournament Trimmer (v1.1.2w) was developed by JeffreyGB at http://www.FlopTurnRiver.com.

Hand 9: I think this is a call, your opponent is hyper aggro and seems to have a broken fold button. The money isn't deep enough to look for a bigger edge.

Otherwise looks ok. You got your money in good for all the chips several times and came out bad. If there is a problem here it's that you're too unwilling to get it all in second best sometimes and hence folding away too many chips waiting for a big edge.

HU is very read dependent, you should have reasonable reads on how your opp plays from the rest of the game. Is he/she aggressive? Passive? Loose/tight? Do they bet into weakness or check the nuts?

Overall I think you played too passively. Completing the SB when opp raises you back every time from the BB is a leak (regardless of what Harrington says!). There were also a bunch of hands that you should have raised instead of folding, and I didn't like the A2 fold when you were shortstacked and opp has shown he will raise/push very wide.

3. 43o - I don't mind folding the worst crap HU particularly when stacks are relatively deep compared to blinds just to show opp I'm not always playing ATC.

4. T4s - I don't mind completing here but take note that opp raises you back whenever you complete.

5. A3o - obv fine. That is an awful call by opp with 73o.

6. A6o - I shove back preflop. Ax is a very good hand heads up with these blinds. As played, I like the way you played postflop but I would have just shoved over opp's bet, it looks more like a bluff.

A:spade: 2:heart: BB (M = 15.78; p+F) - definite call. Opp should be shoving very wide so you're very often 60% favourite here.

7. A5o - unlucky.

8. K5o - You've seen twice before that opp will raise you back if you complete so don't complete, raise or fold! I'd raise this.

9. K8o - played fine at 200/400 blinds and roughly even stacks. At 300/600 blinds I'd just shove it though.

10. J9o - Your line is OK against an aggressive opp but I'd just put him AI on the turn rather than checking again.

11. Q2s - see hand 8. Why complete when you know you're going to get raised back?

13. 87s - preflop is fine I guess but check the flop when you miss.

14. K2s - again, see hand 8. The fourth time you do this it is definitely a leak.

7:club: Q:heart: SB (M = 10.80; F) - definitely raise it

K:spade: 6:club: SB (M = 10.80; F) - DEFINITELY raise it, if opp shoves over I'm calling.

T:club: 2:heart: SB (M = 6.37; F)
2:spade: 9:club: SB (M = 5.37; F) - I'd shove one of these at least

16. AQo - I suppose trapping preflop with AQo isn't too bad given opp raises you back very often. Your heart must have sunk when he didn't raise you back preflop! If you play like this you have to be prepared to let it go when you miss the flop and get C-Rd. Alternatively, just open shove the flop.