Thoughts on the final 10K Hands played of my 50NL Challenge…

Well it ranks 4th out of the 5 periods of 10K hands so not a great way to finish but +EV nonetheless. I didn’t have the same focus I have had throughout this challenge and one of the reasons for that is trying to get Heads-Up action and this is my main talking point.

Stumbling blocks of Heads-Up:

• Hit-n-runners rank highest
• Wanting to finish challenge so not turning down any action
• Not enough action to multi-table Heads-Up so end up multi-tabling 6-Max Deep-Ante with it (I think mixing games definitely reduces win rates for me)
• Never wanting to sit out for fear villain will leave (the amount of times I have needed the toilet during these sessions!)
• The whole uncertainty of when someone will quit. I realise something I’m not good at is quitting, I basically never quit Heads-Up games but am always conscious and maybe even a little nervous that the villain will quit, and figuring out ‘what makes this villain quit’ is a dynamic that is just annoying for me.

The ‘what makes this villain quit’ question is an article in itself. Be it a winning streak or a losing streak, losing at the end of a winning streak or winning at the end of a losing streak, a big pot, a tough game, getting even or just that my HUD stats aren’t desirable enough for them! I have had someone quit because I 3-bet too much and I have had someone quit the first time I 4-bet them, “I don’t play people who 4-bet” (!!!). It blows my mind.

During playing Heads-Up yesterday, the final day of completing my challenge, I had a reg quit me for being too loose. I guess too aggro would be his thinking (??). Later another reg quit me stating I’m too tight. I guess not giving anything away would be his thinking (??). (!!!). Later in the day I thought about it and found it to be a big complement, here’s my thinking…

If I’m TOO loose then you can exploit me, and if I’m TOO tight you can exploit me, however you are not exploiting me, you are both quitting, and why? Because what you really mean is “I can’t figure out how to exploit your ranges”. I’m happy with that.

So, challenge completed and I’m very happy! My next post will review my completed 50NL Challenge!

Good luck at the tables! #runlikekiddo