How Heads-Up Texas Hold'em Works

In heads-up Texas Hold'em, only two players are at the table. Because there are just two players, the normal blind and action structure changes. The dealer posts the small blind and acts first before the flop, but acts last after the flop.

1. Blinds and Dealing

Before any cards are dealt, the two players post the blinds:

• Dealer (Button): Posts the small blind.
• Non-Dealer: Posts the big blind.

The Deal: The dealer distributes the cards one at a time, starting with the big blind (non-dealer) and then dealing to themselves (small blind). This continues until both players have two hole cards.

2. Pre-Flop Betting

Before the flop, the dealer is also the small blind and acts first.

• Dealer (Small Blind) acts first: The dealer can fold, call by matching the big blind, or raise.
• Non-Dealer (Big Blind) acts last: If the dealer calls, the big blind can check and see the flop or raise. If the dealer raises, the big blind can fold, call, or raise again.

This is different from a typical game with three or more players, where the player to the left of the big blind normally acts first before the flop.

3. The Flop, Turn and River

After the pre-flop betting round is complete, the order of action changes. The non-dealer acts first and the dealer acts last.

• Non-Dealer (Big Blind) acts first: The non-dealer is first to act on the flop, turn and river.
• Dealer (Button) acts last: The dealer gets to see what the opponent does before making a decision.

This gives the dealer the normal positional advantage of acting last during the post-flop betting rounds.

Heads-Up Action at a Glance

What Happens After the Hand?

Once the hand is over, the dealer button moves to the other player. The blinds swap, so the new dealer posts the small blind and the other player posts the big blind.

The same heads-up sequence then begins again:

1. The dealer posts the small blind.
2. The non-dealer posts the big blind.
3. The dealer acts first before the flop.
4. The non-dealer acts first after the flop.

An Easy Way to Remember It

For heads-up Texas Hold'em, remember this simple rule:

The dealer is the small blind, acts first before the flop, and acts last after the flop.

Once you remember that rule, the rest of the heads-up betting order is much easier to follow.

Related Texas Hold'em Guides

How to Deal Texas Hold'em | Poker Positions Explained | Texas Hold'em Betting Rules | Poker Hand Rankings