How to Play a Heads-Up Poker Sit 'N Go

Heads-up, or one on one, sit 'n go's are among the most challenging forms of poker that test your ability to use all of the weapons in your poker arsenal. Since you are playing against only one other player you have to mix in bluffs, slowplays, overbets, feeler bets and more to come out on top. Here is a quick primer on how to play the game.

Things You'll Need

• Cards
• Chips

Instructions

Heads Up Tournament Action

1. Log on to your favorite online poker site and look under the tabs for "Sit 'N Go" and the subtab "Heads-Up." Some of the most popular sites that have plenty of heads-up SNGs (HU SNG) running include PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker. You will rarely find heads-up sit 'n go's in a live casino other than during a major tournament, since they wouldn't be efficient and productive for the poker rooms. Alternatively, you can play on your kitchen table with a friend.

2. Sit down in a game. Most sites offer buy-ins in a great variety of sizes. You could play a $5 HU SNG or a $1,000 one if you want. Just make sure that whichever you choose is comfortable for your bankroll.

3. Determine who will get the button first. When playing heads up, you will alternate each hand between acting first and acting last. Generally, the person who has the button will put up the small blind and the other player will put up the big blind. Then it is up to the button to call, raise or fold. The button will then have the positional advantage for the rest of the hand through the flop, turn and river. These roles are reversed each hand.

4. Do not play too tight early, but also do not play too aggressively. Try to mix up your play, especially early in the SNG when the blinds are low relative to the stack sizes. You do not want to push a bluff too hard and lose most of your stack.

5. Try to chip up slowly if you can. Take small stabs at pots on bluffs. If you get raised by your opponent you can safely fold. Hopefully, your opponent will fire back at you when you have a big hand and you can punish him.

6. Use the button to your advantage. Position is huge when playing heads-up so you want to be more aggressive on the button by raising and making continuation bets on the flop.

7. Become more aggressive as the blinds rise. If you started with 1,500 in chips and the initial blinds were 10 and 15 then at that time the blinds did not matter much. When those blinds creep up, say to 50 and 100, then stealing the blinds is a very important part of maintaining a healthy stack size. Do not let the other player run you over. You have to push back.

8. Try a HU SNG multitable tournament after you've gotten your feet wet. Several sites run these in which a couple hundred players all play heads-up and the survivors move on to the next round. Eventually only one remains. For an initial $20 investment you could win more than a thousand dollars.

Tips & Warnings

• Play strong from the button. Getting to act last is huge in this game.

• Be careful playing big pots out of position. Unless you have a really strong hand, you are often better off trying to raise and take the pot preflop or on the flop.