SNG – Heads-Up Tips

If you've been playing SNG lately and never know what to do when it comes to Heads-Up, this is the article for you.

When you are skilled enough to frequently enter head-to-head matches, you will notice that the dynamics change a little and you will still need to use some tools to finish the game with victory.

There is still room to exploit your advantage

Unfortunately, the way online SNGs are designed doesn't allow for very friendly play when it comes to heads-up play, as the blinds are likely to be very high.

The biggest advantage a player can have at this point is the chip advantage. If the number of chips is similar, the contest will be difficult.

No player will have a real advantage over the other, because of the structure.

The game usually ends with the winner being whoever gets the best cards in the shortest amount of time.

But it is important to emphasize that the match is not completely out of your hands, there is still room to exploit your advantage.

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Look at the value of your hands

When you are heads-up, the hand values change compared to normal play.

Depending on how aggressive your opponent is, it can be +EV to get in with any Ace preflop.

Think of it this way: if your hand is decent in a short handed game, then it will be a monster in heads up.

Pairs are pretty robust. Pots are often decided with just one pair at showdown, so if you already have a pair preflop then you are well ahead.

Hands like KQ, KJ, QJ, etc. are great because when they hit the flop they make top pair with a good kicker.

Top pair is a great hand heads-up, and it's almost always valid to go all-in with a hand like this.

Hands that lose value are hands like suited connectors and speculative hands in general.

While these are good hands to play with a raise as a steal, they are not good hands to call a raise with.

These hands lose even more value when stacks are short.

Even if you hit a draw, there is little money to win. When they do hit the flop, it is usually just a second pair or a bad hand like a drill.

Nothing worth risking your life in the tournament, right?

An example:

You have 6,250, your opponent has 6,250. The blinds are 250/500.

You are in the SB/BTN with :Js :Tc and raise to 1,800. The flop comes :Jc :6c :3d. Your opponent bets 3,200.

What do you do? Shove. Simple as that.

The blinds are so high and there is so little play that when you hit top pair, you are destined to go all-in.

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Another example:

You have 6,250, your opponent has 6,250. The blinds are 250/500.

You have :Qc :Jc in the SB/BTN and raise to 1,800. Your opponent calls and the flop comes :Ts :2c :9d.

Your opponent checks and you bet 3,000. Your opponent goes all-in again.

You? Call.

You have two overcards and an open-ended straight draw. You only have 1,450 behind and the pot is already 11,050.

To make it clear, you are committed to the pot.

We are lucky in this case, as you have a great draw and are at great odds. In hand as soon as the tournament ends.

You should, as always in poker, make the most of your position. Keep betting big when you are in position.

Don't stop stealing blinds or easing off on your aggression just because you're heads-up – the game isn't over until there's a winner.

Remember that poker is a game of decisions, and in the long run, the more correct decisions you make, the more money you will make. By always making the +EV play you will have excellent profits.

Article translated and adapted from Sit-and-Go Essentials: Heads-Up