Heads-Up Short Deck Hold’em Strategies for Heads-up Play URL has been copied successfully! Mastering heads-up Short Deck Hold’em means balancing controlled aggression with thoughtful hand reading Short Deck Hold’em, also known as 6+ Hold’em, changes the pace and feel of traditional Texas Hold’em by removing cards ranked 2 through 5. This smaller deck creates more action and changes hand strengths, making heads-up play especially dynamic. When playing one-on-one, understanding how to adjust your strategy can make all the difference. In heads-up Short Deck, hand values shift. For example, three-of-a-kind beats a straight, and flushes are harder to make than in regular Hold ’em. That means some hands you’d typically fold in full-ring games may now be playable. High cards gain more value, and connected cards or suited combinations become more appealing. Aggression is key. With fewer players and stronger average hands, it’s often better to apply pressure rather than play passively. Continuation bets after the flop should be used frequently, especially if you raised pre-flop. Since the board textures often connect with both ranges, staying aggressive keeps your opponent on the defensive and allows you to control the pot size. Position becomes even more important in this format. Being last to act gives you more information, allowing you to make better decisions. In heads-up play, you’re constantly in the blinds, so you must defend widely while also knowing when to attack. Bluffing opportunities increase, but only if you read your opponent’s tendencies well. Another useful tactic is adapting your pre-flop hand selection. In Short Deck, pairs and high Broadway cards often play better heads-up than speculative hands. You should also pay close attention to your opponent’s bet sizing and rhythm. Patterns tend to repeat in heads-up, and exploiting these can lead to consistent profits.