For the training software I created called Range vs. Range, I'm now creating some heads-up training situations (the previous situations are all 6-max). I'm going to create some standard flop situations (see next post), but I'd also like to create some more interesting ones if possible. So my question is: what is the most awkward spot in heads-up play (from a range-vs-range perspective)? My first thought is this one:

• Effective stacks are 15 BB – just a bit too big for BTN to be playing shove-fold.
• You are in the BB, and BTN minbets.
• Your options are: to call the minbet, and play with a SPR of 13:4 = 3.24; to shove, risking 14 BB to win the 3 BB of dead money in the pot; or to fold.

Is that a tough spot? Is that something you'd like to be able to practice (against other people, I mean)? Should it be tweaked somewhat (larger or smaller stack size)? Or is there a completely different spot that's more awkward? Maybe even something like facing a 4bet (or playing postflop after calling a 4bet) when you are really deep (150+ BB)?

Please realise that Range vs. Range is for training post-flop play, not for shoving wars, which you can solve relatively easily if you want to. I guess that's why I thought the above situation is so interesting: if you want to be defensive you can choose to play a 3-bet / fold strategy, but at some stack-size / raise-size it becomes exploitable, and you need to have some flatting in your range. And I figured that's probably something people would like to train.

(Edit: Range vs. Range thread in the Free Software forum: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/16...range-1206491/)

By the way, these are the other, more standard heads-up situations I'm creating (all 100 BB deep):

• BTN minbets, BB calls (i.e. flatting wide)
• BTN raises to 3 big blinds, BB calls (i.e. flatting tighter)
• BTN minbets, BB 3bets, BTN calls (i.e. 3betting and calling wide)
• BTN raises to 3 big blinds, BB 3bets, BTN calls (i.e. 3betting and calling tighter)

But I'm no heads-up expert. I'd really like your opinions on what ranges to use for these situations. I need "standard" ranges, i.e. what is a fair estimation for an unknown regular's range when he does these things. Of course, these will be weighted ranges: some hands will be more likely than others. For example, BB's 3bet range probably combines a tight value range that he always 3bets, with a wide bluff range that he doesn't always 3bet. For example, BB may 3bet KK almost all the time, and 3bet J9o very rarely. That said, I'll be happy even if you can only give concrete ranges (always these hands, never those hands), and then if they're too small I'll fuzz them a little (so they're more representative of the uncertainty you face at the table against unknowns).

And to be clear, the full list of ranges I need to create the above situations is:

• BTN's minbet range (i.e. BTN's range assuming he plays a minbet strategy)
• BTN's 3x opening range (i.e. BTN's range assuming he plays a 3x strategy)
• BB's 3bet-vs-minbet range (including value hands and bluffs) and raise size
• BB's 3bet-vs-3x range (including value hands and bluffs) and raise size
• BB's call-vs-minbet range (those hands he doesn't fold, value-raise, or bluff-raise)
• BB's call-vs-3x range (those hand he doesn't fold, value-raise, or bluff-raise)
• BTN's minbet/call range (hands he minbets, then doesn't fold-to-3bet, value-4bet, or bluff-4bet)
• BTN's 3x/call range (hands he 3x opens, then doesn't fold-to-3bet, value-4bet, or bluff-4bet)

Maybe that's asking too much. Even If I can get ranges for only one of those four situations (whichever one is most interesting), it would be really nice to have something for heads-up players to train, that allows them to work on their range-based thinking and range-vs-range play postflop.

(Edit: Range vs. Range thread in the Free Software forum: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/16...range-1206491/)