Heads-up on the Flop - Basic Moves

This is not a general heads-up article! It deals with situations at full-ring or short-handed tables, when all but two players fold pre-flop.

Unraised Pots

This situation is quite unusual, but it’s still worth thinking about it. It arises in cases where only one player limps pre-flop, so he plays heads-up against the BB.

Out of Position

If you are first to act in such a situation (being out of position as such), you should always bet. Most opponents will fold in more than 33% of all cases, so this bet is automatically profitable.

If your opponent calls the flop and your hand isn’t worth anything, you should switch to check/fold on the turn. If your hand is still playable on the turn, you should bet again.

If your opponent raises the flop and you hold a really strong made hand, you should just call this raise and hope that your opponent will raise your following turn bet again, enabling you to 3-bet the turn to get the maximum value.
If you hold a drawing hand, you should call the flop raise, as well. Then, check the turn and either get a free card or get your opponent to fold to a check-raise.

In Position

If your opponent is first to act, you are in position. If he checks, you should bet every single time.
But, if he bets himself, you should fold all weak hands and call with all playable hands – making a raise possible against your opponent’s turn bet. That way, you add more value to your good hands, while increasing the chance to make your opponent fold in case you only hold a draw.

Raised Pots

There are four cases that have to be reviewed when confronted with a raised pot. The important questions are: Are you in position or not? Were you the pre-flop aggressor or not?

Out of Position, Opponent was the Aggressor

This case is quite common, e.g. every time you call a steal raise as BB.

Check/fold weak hands here.

Playable hands, i.e. decent draws or made hands, should be played with a check/raise at the flop, followed by another bet on the turn.

In Position, Opponent was the Aggressor

This case could for example occur if you wanted to steal the blinds and the BB 3-bets you, while you just call this 3-bet.

If the BB bets, you should fold weak hands.

But if you hold a playable hand, may it be a good made hand or a draw, you should just call the flop bet, followed by a raise on the turn.

Out of Position, You were the Aggressor

This is another common situation. Maybe you raised from MP and the button called. All others folded.

In this case you should always bet the flop, so your opponent has a chance to fold.
If he calls your flop bet, it is almost always correct to bet again on the turn.

If the opponent raises your flop bet, counter with a 3-bet if you have a strong hand, followed by a turn bet. If you hold just a weak draw or have too few outs, you should just call his raise and check/fold on the turn. Stronger draws should lead to a check on the turn, too, but this time you should consider a check/raise, if there is a sufficient possibility that he will fold to it.

In Position, You were the Aggressor

This situation is the most common of all four. For example, an opponent in MP limps, you are CO and isolate him, both blinds fold.

If the opponent checks to you, always bet.

If he bets, you should fold hopeless hands and call all playable hands to go for a turn raise – with strong draws as well as with made hands.

Two easy Rules

- If your opponent bets and you are in position and hold a playable hand, it’s nearly always best just to call the flop and wait with your aggressive action for the turn. Thus, you gather more information and have an option for a much stronger semi-bluff.

- If you are out of position, you should maximize pressure on the flop. Check/raise attempts on the turn will not work very often if you are out of position, so refrain from it.