Heads-up poker is often mentioned in conjunction with popular types of the game such as Texas Holdem or Omaha. Unlike 🍌 those variants it isn’t actually a type of poker game itself. Instead it’s a way of playing them. Intrigued?
What is 🍌 heads-up poker?
Heads-up poker refers to any form of the game in which the hand is played out between just two 🍌 players. Head-to-head poker in other words. Virtually any type of poker can be played heads-up.
Hands progress according to the rules 🍌 of the specific type of poker you’re playing heads-up, just as they would do were more players involved. However, there 🍌 are some heads-up adaptations in community card poker games such as Texas Holdem (see how to play, below).
Games of poker 🍌 can become heads up when just two players remain at the table at the start of a hand, while heads-up 🍌 tournaments are popular at online poker sites.
With only one opponent to beat, competitors have a high chance of winning each 🍌 hand regardless of what they are dealt and tend to play aggressively as a result. Similarly, with only one opponent 🍌 needing to fall for your bluff, bluffing is more likely to be successful.
How to play heads-up poker
As mentioned above, the 🍌 rules for many forms of poker don’t change when playing heads-up. If you’re new to poker check out our how 🍌 to play poker section for an introduction to the game and links to how-to-play guides for Texas Holdem, Omaha and 🍌 other types of poker.
There is one key adaptation when it comes to playing community card poker games such as Texas 🍌 Holdem and Omaha heads up, which see the normal position of the small and big binds reversed.
In poker games other 🍌 than heads-up the small blind is posted by the player positioned clockwise from the dealer (or nominal dealer in online 🍌 poker). The big blind is posted by the player to the left of the small blind.
The first round of betting 🍌 begins with the player who sits to the left of the player who posted the big blind and all subsequent 🍌 rounds of betting begin with the player who posted the small blind.
However in heads-up play, the dealer posts the short 🍌 blind and their opponent posts the big blind.
Why is the position of the blinds reversed in heads-up poker? Basically to 🍌 ensure fairness.
If the position of the blinds wasn’t reversed in heads-up poker the player who isn’t dealing would get to 🍌 act first in the betting rounds both before and after the flop because there are only two players involved. This 🍌 would give them an advantage.
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Play heads-up poker with poker bonus sign-up offers
Heads-up poker 🍌 and heads-up tournaments are widely available at the UK’s best online poker sites so why not try them for free 🍌 with new customer poker bonuses and sign-up offers.
Learn how to play popular types of poker and the rules specific to 🍌 each game
Want to know the rules specific to popular types of poker? Check out the links below.
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