Poker games are mostly full ring, where nine or ten poker players are seated at a table. You’ll also find the six-max tables at online casinos. When only two players are left at the table, or when there are just a total of two players, it is called a “heads-up” game.
The dynamics in heads-up are different than full table games. In this article, we give you heads-up poker tips and tell you more about the game’s rules and betting strategy.
Heads-up refers only to the number of players. They can choose any version of poker – Texas Hold’em, Omaha, or Five Card Draw.
Texas Hold’em is by far the most popular and widely played poker variant in the world, both online and in live casinos. It is widely accepted as the standard format for cash games and tournaments. To keep things simple, we will focus on Texas Hold’em heads-up for this article.
If you’re interested to play other poker variations for a heads-up game, here’s a quick comparison guide:
| Poker Type | Private Cards | Public Cards | Key Rules & Objectives | Common Betting Limits | How Hard to Play? |
| Texas Hold’em | 2 hole cards per player | 5 community cards | Make the best 5-card hand using your hole cards and community cards. Playing from position gives the best advantage. | No-limit, pot-limit, fixed-limit | Easy to learn, hard to master |
| Omaha | 4 hole cards per player | 5 community cards | Players have to use exactly 2 of their hole cards and 3 community cards to form a hand. | Pot-limit (most common), fixed-limit | Can take some time to become familiar with the rules. |
| Five-Card Draw | 5 private cards per player | None | Make the best 5-card hand by drawing more cards to replace unwanted cards. There are no community cards in this game. | Fixed-limit, sometimes no-limit | Easy |
The basic rules of poker remain the same. The first player is on the button and posts the small blind (half bet). The second player becomes the big blind (BB) and posts the full bet. The objective is to use any combination of hole cards and the five community cards to make the best hand.
Each player receives two private cards, also called as “hole cards” face down. This is the pre-flop round, where you can fold, call, or raise according to the betting limit. Next comes the “flop” – the three community cards placed face up in the middle of the table. Now, the flop betting round begins. The player not on the button (BB) has to act first.
The flop is followed by the “turn” (fourth community card), and the “river” (fifth and final community card). Betting continues in the same order as the flop. Now there are total five community cards on the table.
Finally comes the showdown. If both players are still in the game, they have to reveal their cards. The best hand wins the pot. The pot can be won without showdown as well if the other player folds early.
The dynamics of the game are different when you are facing only one player. This gives you a much bigger chance to steal blinds, and bluff more frequently.
A tight game is good when you are in a tournament with multiple people, but as the players drop out and it gets down to a one-on-one, you should loosen up. You’ll typically be playing much faster, and bluffing more.
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If you are the big blind, you will be the first to act post-flop. Your main objective should be to defend the blind. Here’s a heads-up poker tip for you: shove (go all in) high card hands from the big blind. If the opponent is short stacked, they will be unable to match your bet.
If both players have deep stacks (having lots of poker chips), play very aggressively and raise on a wide range of hands. High aces, kings, pairs, and suited connectors perform well for BB.
The small blind is on the button, so this gives you a positional advantage post-flop. Call or raise even with marginal hands, as it gives you time to act at river or turn. You can 3-bet stronger hands like 99+, JTs+, aces, or high suited connectors.
At pre-flop, both players have to place their blinds. The real action begins post-flop. Try this: whether you’re the button or not, put out a raise, and then whatever your opponent does, re-raise them again at turn and river. Keep raising whether they call or raise. This sets you up as a strong player, and puts pressure on your opponent.
A heads-up match is fast, so players need to think and act quickly. Follow these heads up poker tips to sharpen your game:
A one-on-one match is like playing a mind game. A good heads up poker strategy is just as important as technical skill. In fact, poker skills count more than luck in this game. When there’s only one opponent, you can’t hide behinds limps and checks. There’s constant pressure to defend your blind. So, even small reactions like hesitation, or body language can give away the strength of your hand. It’s important to stay calm and and not react to bad hands.
Remember the famous one-on-one showdown between Scotty Nguyen and Kevin McBride at the 1998 World Series of Poker? The table had a full house (8♣ 9♦ 9♥ 8♥ 8♠). Nguyen memorably said to his opponent: “You call, it’s gonna be all over, baby!” McBride chose to call and Nguyen won with 9♣ J♦. In the post-game interview, McBride admitted that he would not have called if not for Nguyen’s quip. This was psychological pressure. Nguyen got in McBride’s head and won the tournament.
Another memorable heads-up game that turned into a battle of wits was at the 2007 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure match between Isaac Haxton and Ryan Daut. Haxton had 3♦ 2♦, while Daut had 7♣ 5♠. The flop was Q♥ 4♥ A♣. Both players had weak hands but chose to check the turn, which gave K♦. Instead of folding, Haxton bluffed a large value bet, putting maximum pressure on Daut. Daut folded and Haxton won the event with a bluff.
Swings can happen within minutes in this game. So, you need to stay focussed and keep adapting your game at every street.
When you play heads-up poker, pocket aces (AA) are considered the strongest starting hand. Since you have only one opponent in this game, a combination of a high card and a pair gives you extra value. However, in poker, heads-up strategy matters just as much as the cards, so avoid playing aggressively.
Any ace in pre-flop, including A-7, is an advantage in heads-up play. If the A-7 is suited and you are playing from the button, it is an even stronger combination. However, the 7 kicker is weak, so it can be a difficult hand to play post-flop.
The small blind is always on the button and acts first pre-flop, putting in half the bet. The other person becomes the big blind and posts the full bet. Post-flop, the small blind acts lasts. This gives you an advantage to see how your opponent plays and adjust your game accordingly.
The most common mistake in this game is playing too tight and folding quickly. A two-person poker game gives you a higher chance to steal blinds, so make the most of it. Also, don’t cheat in poker. It may give you a temporary edge but the risk outweighs the benefit.
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