How to learn HU?

My usual game is FRNL and I'm looking to learn heads up, for interest, a new challenge, and to hopefully improve my overall game. What's the best way to learn from the ground up?

[ZwiFT]

Boring game, sit for 1-2 hours and wait for a donk to show up and pwn his ass

you suck at HU =p

[oskar]

He's kind of right

There are some FR and 6-max regs who suck horribly... HORRIBLY at HU are still profitable playing it, because you can just table select for the biggest donk and make a profit.
But it is a very different game. I think there's very little you can say about it in a nutshell because it's so incredibly opponent dependent...
Just play some HU sng's and switch to cash once you're comfortable.
Swings are big... I'd recommend 50-100 BI especially if you're just starting or suck at HU.

But still... table selecting is obviously very important. If I can't spot a very obvious leak that I know how to exploit withing 25-50 hands, I'm sitting out and waiting for the next guy.
I don't sit out very often though.

[bikes]

.....HOW TO BUMHUNT ITT

[meeloche]

The best way to learn hu without taking away from your main game is to just start tables. Sit at a 50bb table and play anybody who sits with you. You'll not only start fishier tables but occasionally you'll play regs hu which you can learn from and this will only improve both your main game and your hu game. You don't get better at poker by only playing fish ldo

[Pino_Diablo]

bigger bankroll and be prepared for some really weird play, especially if you play SNG.

i used to like it but i was one that would either pwn or get pwned, and get mega frustrated by suck outs.

if the player is really, really rolled he will play very loose and SNG's will be quick either way. (IMHO)

the idea of opening a table is very smart for a RNG

[OP]

HU is such a finnicky game, with all kinds of dynamics and money swings. Best way is to learn from people who had success at it. If you want to spend a little money, Spenda and AApoker have some very decent videos on grinderschool going over some good concepts, hand reading, exploiting etc. Or just take $30 get a 1 month subscription to Leggo and study at the church of aejones (that guy is sick nasty at hand reading).

Play $10 HU SNGs

[yourfather]

There are some good vids on CR and Stoxx and Im sure other training sites about the HU basics that should be helpful. And yeah play alot at a lower stake.

[javierloco09]

hand in hand when these should have already studied your opponent to know how your game and playing to win

[OP]

hand in hand when these should have already studied your opponent to know how your game and playing to win

+1

[melinda1978]

how do you know before hand who is a bad player?

[golfguy37]

One thing is that you have to be more aggressive. Whichever player steps up and takes down the big pots with a nice bluff/continuation bet is the one that will likely win.

[Crusher10]

The best way to learn hu without taking away from your main game is to just start tables. Sit at a 50bb table and play anybody who sits with you. You'll not only start fishier tables but occasionally you'll play regs hu which you can learn from and this will only improve both your main game and your hu game. You don't get better at poker by only playing fish ldo

This^^ (in the beginning) and try to keep notes on better players and regs better then you and try not to play them anymore.

[UnknownFlush]

Thank you for giving me more advice in playing HU

how do you know before hand who is a bad player?

Melinda, check out these two poker player data bases.Put the players screen name in and you can see if they are a winner a break even player or a loser. Official Poker Rankings and Top shark.Both are great for tournament stats on players on full tilt and poker stars.G.L.

[chrisa]

Definitely start playing low limit sit and goes if you want to learn heads up. Once you've played a decent number of games, move up limits and repeat until you're comfortable with playing at cash heads up tables.

Took me a couple of weeks to do the above but [brag] I started playing 20NL HU cash yesterday. Up 8 buy ins after 500 hands. [/brag]

[Keith]

yes yes thanks for the post and good luck all

rough translation.....F*** i joined last month to get in the pokerstars freeroll try and get in this months and I still can't get in. OH ..... I have to make posts and be noticied by the moderators. I better get cracking , only got a few hours to get noticed .

[MrBonBons]

Hi guys, just wondering if 'ye' could help a complete novice out in determining a villians ranges in HU SNG's. I'll try & give 'ye' some direction & see what happens....

How do u determine the top percentages of hands (e.g., top 10%, top 20%, top 30%, etc). Been trying to find this sort of information but no luck so far.

How then do u assign these to an opponent (i.e., do u use VPIP/PFR.....something like 25/10 might be call with 15% & raise with 10% for example.........correct me if I'm wrong please ).

From there then can u determine a villians limping raise from the button, calling range on BB, 3-bet ranges & so forth.

Any additional thoughts on betting patterns, styles, & so forth would also be very useful if possible.

As an aside I know this depends very much on context but any pointers would be greatly appreciated.......cheers & ciao, MrBonBons :P.

[BooG690]

How do u determine the top percentages of hands (e.g., top 10%, top 20%, top 30%, etc). Been trying to find this sort of information but no luck so far.

Well...with this, be sure to download PokerStove. Google it, you should find it. Play around with it. The more you use it, the more you may understand raises. All the other questions would take a long post to answer. For the most complete answers, come down to the IRC where players with experience can help you out in real-time. Good luck!

http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...08-t67665.html

Here you'll learn how to get into the IRC.

[MrBonBons]

Thx man, played around with PokerStove last nite & its a big help already I must admit! Downloaded iMRC too so we'll see how that goes as well. Anyway, cheers again & best of luck on the tables!

[bigred]

One thing is that you have to be more aggressive. Whichever player steps up and takes down the big pots with a nice bluff/continuation bet is the one that will likely win.

Terrible advice. This is how you lose 6 buyins in 5 minutes.

Read ISF's guide to HU for the best advice.

My usual game is FRNL and I'm looking to learn heads up, for interest, a new challenge, and to hopefully improve my overall game. What's the best way to learn from the ground up?

i would recommend heads up book from headsup-pokerstrategy/com

[Galiana]

go to full tilt poker and watch pros doing heads up for 100k dollars.. lol i have learnt alot there off them.

Don't play HU, it's terribly unprofitable as everyone is a reg and on the way to busto LDO ! Full ring is where it's at.

[OP]

Don't play HU, it's terribly unprofitable as everyone is a reg and on the way to busto LDO ! Full ring is where it's at.

Full ring is the home of nut peddlers and ratholers. And if he's playing anything 3/6 and under there are more fish than you can shake a stick at as long as he learns and understands basic concepts of HU play.

[Crusher10]

Full ring is much harder to earn money then HU. If you know what you are doing ghat is on HU. I much rather wait 2 hours for one game, taking possibly multiple buy ins then grinding it out on 16 or more tables full ring.

i would recommend HU book from headsup-pokerstrategy.c0m

[PerfectlyHonest]

Boring game, sit for 1-2 hours and wait for a donk to show up and pwn his ass

lol sad. That donk is probably me