Online Poker Forum - Open/complete Heads Up SNG

Zydrounas · High Card Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 8

Is it ever a good move to open with a complete in a heads up SNG. If not, why and if so why and when and with what door and up cards?

finknik · Pair Joined: 11 Jan 2009 Posts: 35 Location: San Diego, CA

Never a smart move. For,

1- If you're doing it as a bluff, the pot's so small (antes) that it's not even worth it. And,

2- Let's say you have A23 and you complete the bring against your opponents **A. If he has 98A, he will fold to your completion, assuming you have something strong. If you simply brought in, he would complete, having a semi-decent HU hand. In this case, you get a full SB out of him, plus more if he thinks he is pot committed and keeps calling down to 7th. You don't get value out of brought in completions.

I once used this method as a last resort when my opponent had a strong read on me, and I felt like I had no chance to beat him unless I was lucky, (which I could tell I wasn't) or if I greatly changed my style. I completed the bring in a few times to change up the pattern, but it didn't work very well. I strongly feel that it's a bad move, and whenever I see a player doing it in HU, I assume they are a fish.. Laughing

Hope I helped.

Zydrounas · High Card Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 8

I see it so often, even people I consider to be good or even very good do it occasionally. I notice that some people will do it after losing a big pot. I never understood why anyone who knew what they were doing would bother. I thought maybe I was missing something strategically. You confirmed what I already thought. Thanks.

Zydrounas · High Card Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 8

After thousands of heads up games, I can count on two hands the number of people who dont use the open/complete move. Its a leak that im happy a lot of people have

alex j beeson · Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 12:13 pm Post subject:

Why to complete instead of bring in in HU razz SnG-

You have <KQ>A
Villian has <**>T

Complete and take the blinds. You would not likely win seeing more streets.

Aggression is key in razz HU. It is the presentation of power and the hole cards are irrelevant. The drawing power is what wins the hands. In HU you can play hands with a paint card in the hole, you just have to outdraw the opponent.

The odds that an opponent has a card 9 or higher in their starting three is about 40% each time on 1st, 2nd and 3rd streets.

The opponent has bricks. Just because a player completes in HU razz is not mean they have a sweet starting hand.

If you are facing an opponent that always folds if they have a high door card showing then by all means complete every time your door beats theirs and take the blinds.

If you are facing an opponent that always completes when their door card better than yours then you just have to make a stand at some point and know that it is likely they have a brick just like you do.

When you both get dealt those good starting hands is when the real fun starts.

But sitting back passive will get you left with no chips quick enough.

finknik · Pair Joined: 11 Jan 2009 Posts: 35 Location: San Diego, CA

Thanks Alex, but we're talking about using a completion as the bring in, not completing the bring in.

finknik · Pair Joined: 11 Jan 2009 Posts: 35 Location: San Diego, CA

Zydrounas · High Card Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 8

no, its a leak to open with a complete. No matter what you're cards are or what your opponent is showing. That's my contention. I'm open to evidence to the contrary.

finknik · Pair Joined: 11 Jan 2009 Posts: 35 Location: San Diego, CA

I agree.

Although, I have been thinking about players who are always calling your bring in. Could it be possible that you should open with a completion to get more out of them since they only call every time? Never tried it, but it's worth a thought.

Those are the players I struggle with. The ones who always call the bring in. Never fold, never complete. By them doing this, they get a chance to see fourth street without having to pay, in which case they may have your board beat and can chase you off. I think that completing would make them fold more often, which would keep you from being outdrawn so often. That is, unless they also call your completion every time. Confused

Then you should only complete when your hand is strong, therefore extracting more chips.

These are all just ideas that I have never tried.

Zydrounas · High Card Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 8

Those people are few and far between, and even so, they usually carry that passivity throughout the hand. They'll call bets and check your check unless they have a very strong hand or if your board is full of bricks. If you play your strong hands strongly, and take the free cards on weak hands you should prevail. You have to limit the bluffing, or better yet, show a bluff and they'll really stay on the hook for future hands.

NateAdams · High Card Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 3

can you tell me the best way to withdraw funds from FTP??

Zydrounas · High Card Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 8

do a bank wire to your checking account. I get my funds in 3 days.

finknik · Pair Joined: 11 Jan 2009 Posts: 35 Location: San Diego, CA

Do you get taxed on that?

Zydrounas · High Card Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 8

sshhhhh!!!!!

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