Interesting hand. Been playing this player heads up at a table for 40ish hands. At the max, he was up $100 on me and I clawed back a little. Dynamics are that he's running over me and if I lead flops, he raises or calls down with any pair and I haven't hand a hand. I think he thinks that I'm frustrated or tilted.

$1/2nl

Villain : $270
Hero : $255

Preflop:

Hero opens BU to $6 (KdKc)
Villian calls.

Pot $12

Flop 5d3d9d

Villian: Checks
Hero: Bets $8
Villain : Check Raises to $24
Hero: Calls $16 (Considered repopping but felt like he was going to check raise here as he has a few other hands and I wanted to let him bluff later streets.

Turn Jc:
Villian: Leads $36
Hero : Calls $36

River: Ad
Villian: Checks
Hero: ???

What's your sizing on river? There is about $130 in pot and I have about $180ish behind.

I doubt villian can put many Kdx in my range here given my line. Do you guys prefer to bet smallish, 2/3 pot, or overbet jam?

Villian has been aggro/spewy and I haven't shown down any real hands.

You are putting too much emphasis on meta game. 40 hands is nothing. No one thinks you are tilted because you lost half a buyin.

You have plenty of Kd in your river range. You could practically have every single of the 46 Kd* combos. What makes you think otherwise??

Playing HU the meta game develops VERY quickly. There has literally been 2-15 hands of last 20 in which I'd lead flop only to give up, x/r flop to give up, or try to barrel only to give up and lost every single pot. In those hands he's applied pressure knowing I've been weak/frustrated at not winning a pot. This is the reason for the dynamic that I explained as he may think I'm frustrated and wanting to win a pot by being stubborn.

I guess I could have a few Kdx type hands but I think those shrink vs a flop x/r and river lead from villain. I doubt I'm calling down with naked Kd vs that line so only Kd that'd make sense are a hand like Kd+pair but only Kd9x are in that range.

You might want to try the hu forum as you may get better responses from posters more familiar and comfortable with wide range spots. You'll probably get good answers here, but those specializing in hu may have better responses for you or more indepth analysis.

As far as the hand goes I think you'll have to examine your gamplan for your range and the match on the flop and decide where KdK fits into that game plan. Obviously villain's range and tendencies will be important. Does villain really c/r a made flush here? What do you do with your made hands? What made hands are you willing to raise/stack off with? What hands do you have in your range to bluff? What are villain's barreling tendencies?

Any way without specific reads I like the flop and turn play. As far as the river goes I don't think it will matter much. You don't have any hands to bluff on this runout that aren't flushes so just bet an amount you think will benefit your whole range more than just this specific hand.

1) He applied extra pressure, and will keep doing so because it worked.
2) He applied extra pressure, but will stop doing so because he thinks you will play back.
3) He had good a good card run and played normal, but will play extra aggro now because you folded kinda often.
4) He had good a good card run and played normal, but will play a bit nittier now because he expects you to play back more now.

Or, perhaps

5) He has played every hand completely normal so far and will continue doing so.


Why do you think it is 2) specifically? All the other scenarios are just as likely.