Heads Up
Heads up means that only two players are involved in a hand or in a game. It is a pot contested by two players.
The simple explanation
If everyone else has folded and two players remain, the pot is heads up. A tournament final between two players is also heads up.
A closer look
In a heads-up game, the button posts the small blind and acts first before the flop and last after it. Because there are only two players, the ranges are wide, and hands that are weak at a full table, such as ace-high, can win often. Heads-up skill is a separate area of poker: aggression, position and adjusting to your opponent matter a great deal.
A practical example
The tournament comes down to two players. They play heads up for the title.
Full explanation
Heads up means that only two players are involved in a hand or in a game. It is a pot contested by two players.
Heads up means two players.
It can be a game or a pot.
The button acts first before the flop.
Ranges are wide and aggression matters.
Alternative spelling: heads-up, headsup, HU
Heads up
No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
Read the example transcript
Player A has the button (BTN) and posts the 1-chip small blind (SB). Player B posts the 2-chip big blind (BB).
- Preflop · Pot: 3 chips
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)QQueen of diamonds (Qd) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player B BB 99 of clubs (9c)99 of diamonds (9d) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 8 chips
Player A raises to 6.
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)QQueen of diamonds (Qd) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB 99 of clubs (9c)99 of diamonds (9d) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 12 chips
Player B calls. Only two players are in the pot, so the hand is played heads up.
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)QQueen of diamonds (Qd) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB 99 of clubs (9c)99 of diamonds (9d) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.