Head's Up vs Calling Station (Newbie)

I was playing in a tournament style game this weekend with some VERY weak players. Most of them had not played any poker before and it was their first time, so they were calling with everything (i.e. at 100/200 I was called on 2-1000 chip bets by 3rd pair - I was holding 2nd pair, but I knew he didn't have anything to beat me).

I ended up getting heads up with one of those calling stations and my stack dropped like Mercury in a thermoeter in Winnipeg (real fast). I was a little short stacked, he has me about 1/3 to 2/3 of the total chips at the table. My table image was non-existent because he didn't know what was going on, but I showed down about 5 time prior to getting heads up with A-Q being my worst hand, so it should have been tight. I tried out betting him to take a couple blinds right off the bat, but he just kept calling any bet.

I wasn't getting cards, I think the best thing I got while heads up was Q-8. When I did get anything, I got no peice of the flop. Since I was playing against a calling station, if I didn't get a peice of the flop he could have been playing anything.

Was it just bad luck on the cards, or is there a good way to play heads up against a calling station?

It helps if you get cards. You get a hand better than his and string him along to rake in as many chips as possible. If the cards are cold and you can't connect with a flop it is very hard to take down a calling station.

As a general rule, you bet every hand for value against a calling station and hope they done suck out that second pair on the river.

If you don't get cards you have to push him around with your entire stack. It has been my experience that many beginners love to call but when they see you put alot of chips in the pot they either back down or they make a stupid call.

The other night I get KQ and come in for a raise. Small blind smooth calls. Flop comes Krag rag. Checked to me. I bet pot. Call from SB. Turn was nothing. I bet 1/2 pot. Call again. River was nothing. SB checked again. I finally smelled a rat and bet a small amount. SB just calls again. SB (calling station) shows AA.

It's hard to know where u stand w/ a calling station.

Just because they are reckless doesnt mean that you should let them push you around. Once your stack is lower than him and it's HU start pushing your stack All-in preflop. Make him make a decision. Even calling stations have a hard time calling an all-in when it's for a decent chunk of their stack if they dont have cards. If you have any sort of hand PUSH preflop (2 overs, any ace, pocket pairs tens or lower, even higher suited connectors). Push when you have good hands too. Make him make the decision. He should start playing more conservative after a few times you beat him. I love these types of players HU. They will have taken note of your tight play (trust me) and they will usually fold without cards when you push (this gives you valuable BB for later). If they don't, more than likely you are in a coinflip situation which is against all the poker judgement in your brain, but sooner or later it's going to come down to these situations anyway, gambling is part of the game (i've never won a tourney style game that I haven't won at least a few coinflips, HU or otherwise). You have to turn him honest or you are going to wait too long to where your stack will dwindle and you will miss your chance to do any damage to him when you do hit a hand.

My way of looking at this situation is that if he doesn't want to play cards...Dont play cards...Play poker!!!