Heads-Up
Heads-up means a poker hand or game with only two players. Ranges get much wider, and the button posts the small blind and acts first preflop.
Heads-up describes poker played between just two players. It can mean a whole match that starts with two players, the last two players in a tournament, or simply any hand that has come down to two opponents after everyone else folded. Heads-up play rewards aggression and range awareness, because both players are forced to put chips in very often.
How the rules change
With only two players, the blind and action order work differently from a full table:
- The player on the button posts the small blind.
- The other player posts the big blind.
- Before the flop, the button (small blind) acts first.
- After the flop, the button acts last, so it has position for the rest of the hand.
Why ranges get much wider
At a nine-handed table, you post blinds two hands out of every nine. Heads-up, you post a blind every single hand. Folding too much means slowly giving away your stack, so both players must play far more hands. Hands that are clear folds at a full table become reasonable or even strong heads-up.
Example hand
Blinds are 50/100 and both players have 5,000 chips (50 big blinds). You are on the button with K♠ 7♦. At a full table from early position this would be a fold, but heads-up it is above average among all possible starting hands. You raise to 250.
Your opponent calls, and the pot is 500. The flop is K♥ 8♣ 3♦. They check, you bet 200 with top pair, and they call. The pot is now 900. The turn is the 2♠. They check again and you bet 500, expecting worse kings, eights and draws like 6♣ 5♣ to continue. Against just one opponent, a pair of kings is a strong hand worth betting for value.
Heads-up strategy basics
- Raise often on the button. You have position after the flop, which makes playing many hands profitable.
- Defend your big blind widely. You are getting a good price, and folding too often lets your opponent steal freely.
- Value any pair. Top pair and even middle pair are often good enough to bet or call down.
- Adjust to your opponent. With only one player to study, patterns show up quickly. That makes exploitative play especially powerful.
Common mistakes
- Playing heads-up with a full-ring hand chart and folding far too much.
- Forgetting the button acts first before the flop.
- Overvaluing small edges while ignoring stack depth. A short-stacked heads-up battle near the end of a tournament often comes down to all-in or fold decisions.
Frequently asked questions
Who posts the small blind in heads-up poker?
The player on the button posts the small blind and the other player posts the big blind.
Who acts first in heads-up?
Before the flop the button (small blind) acts first. After the flop the big blind acts first and the button acts last.
Why do you play more hands heads-up?
Because you pay a blind every hand, folding too much loses chips steadily. Average hand strength is also lower with only one opponent, so more hands are worth playing.
Related poker terms
- Button — The button is a disc marking the nominal dealer in Hold'em. The player on the button acts last after the flop, making it the best seat at the table.
- Small Blind — The small blind is the forced bet posted by the player directly left of the button, usually half the big blind. It's also the name of that seat.
- Big Blind — The big blind is the larger forced bet posted two seats left of the button before the deal. It sets the minimum bet and is the last to act preflop.
- Position — Position in poker is where you sit relative to the button, which decides when you act. Acting later gives you more information and more control.
- Exploitative Play — Exploitative play means adjusting your strategy to target a specific opponent's mistakes, such as bluffing players who fold too much.