Top 5 reasons why this type of game might be right for you:

1. You play every hand dealt.

Most losing poker players have one thing in common: playing too many hands. This is not a flaw when playing heads-up. In fact, those who fold pre-flop too much, give away too many blinds by sitting and waiting for premium cards. By the time great cards are dealt, they are short stacked and worse, they don’t connect on the flop, therefore, many times losing on the hand they have been waiting all game for. Sure you fold hands pre-flop in heads-up BUT nothing compared to when you are on a 10 player table. Q-7 suited is a decent hand when you are competing against ONLY one person so not only do you play it but you may choose to raise with it. Boredom NEVER sets in when playing heads-up, as you need your attention focused on each and every hand dealt. The decision to fold, call or raise is done instantly, allowing you to get into a nice rhythm which isn’t possible in a multi player game.

2. Length of game.

A normal heads-up game can last as little as 30 seconds since it i s possible that both players are dealt top hands and it’s ALL-in pre-flop on the first hand. On the flip side, the maximum amount of time a game lasts is usually no more than 30 minutes. The risk versus reward is higher in heads-up games as you either double your money or lose it all. Unlike a cash game where you can leave the table at anytime either down, up or break-even.

3. Good way to practice bluffing.

The simple fact is that a player will completely miss the flop 70% of the time. However, on a full table of 10 players, position plays a big part in being able to bluff and those closest to the dealer are sometimes able steal a pot if those in front of him/her checked. The beauty of heads-up is that it is often the first person who takes a stab at the pot who wins the hand by forcing the opponent to fold after not hitting the flop. Bluffing is encouraged and pays off.

4. Less Bad Beats.

Any player who has played online or live games will have a memory bank of stories involving bad beats and disbelief over why a certain player was even in a hand as they chased an inside straight. In heads-up, bad beats do occur but when you are facing one person as opposed to nine other players, the unpredictability of what the other people on the table are holding is diminished to what “one person” is holding in their hand.

5. Need a read on one player not a table of players.

Some dedicated players out there take notes on each player at the table, but let’s face it, most of us just try and make mental notes of what kind of players we are up against (aggressive, tight, maniac, etc..). When playing against one player, you won’t make the mistake of confusing the player’s style with any of the other players because the only other player on the table is YOU!!! Also with the sheer volume of hands and the fact that it’s very repetitive (you are the big blind one hand, the small blind next, and vice versa) you start to notice patterns in your opponent’s play (e.g. always raises his big blind, bets the amount of the pot every time you check after the flop is dealt, etc.) and you can take advantage of their predictability when you have a monster hand and want to get maximum value.