Who is SB when heads up?

[sl0wfaller]

Hello all, pretty new to the boards and a question came up in a home game last night that I'm hoping you nice people can clarify for us.

It was down to me and a friend heads up and I insisted that the dealer is small blind in heads up, whether its a cash game or a tourney. My friend wasn't sure about that and thought the dealer would be the big blind.

So in heads up, whether a tourney or cash game, who is the big blind? The dealer or the other guy?

thanks,
Chris

[jtr]

Seems easy to me: the dealer is the big blind. Imagine a three player game: there's the dealer, then moving clockwise the small blind, and then the big blind. Let's say the big blind gets up and leaves before the hand. Who's the big blind now? The dealer, surely.

[sl0wfaller]

I could've sworn on TV poker the dealer is small blind heads up. Any other opinions?

[gmunny]

Heads up, the dealer is always the small blind. After the flop, other player (Big Blind) must act first.
G$

[DerryABU]

You are correct,the dealer when heads up is always the small blind.The reason for this is so that the dealer does not have the benefit of acting last after every play.When heads up before the flop the big blind acts last and after the flop and for the rest of the hand the dealer(small blind) will act last.
This has been covered on numerous occasions so try a search if you want more confirmation.

[sl0wfaller]

Thanks guys, i'm just going to email this as a link to to my friend for him to read.

Chris

[Lottery Larry]

"The reason for this is so that the dealer does not have the benefit of acting last after every play"

I think it is because they don't want the dealer to have the benefit of position AND potentially a free play preflop.

[jtr]

Mea culpa.

Not really a heads-up player, just assumed that the same logic would apply as works in games with 3-10 people.

[Kaz The Original]

At both my local casino and my local home games we play big blind is the button.

[deacsoft]

[ QUOTE ]
At both my local casino and my local home games we play big blind is the button.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's horrible.

[Big Country]

From Robert's Rules of Poker (http://www.homepokertourney.com/rules_roberts.htm#SECTION%204%20-%20BUTTON%20AND%20BLIND%20USE) :

[ QUOTE ]
4. In heads-up play with two blinds, the small blind is on the button.



[/ QUOTE ]

[Fins]

What casino?

[Kaz The Original]

Brantford in Ontario.

I don't think it's horrible... or wrong or anything. Just the way we play. You know, in some of the home game I play in, you can reraise less than the full amount of a bet. Is that bad? No... it's different. And I like it.

[Scotty O]

[ QUOTE ]
Heads up, the dealer is always the small blind. After the flop, other player (Big Blind) must act first.
G$

[/ QUOTE ]

Agree

[AngryCola]

I think it's horrible. But thats just my opinion.

I have never seen it played that way.
It doesn't surprise me though.

[TenPercenter]

[ QUOTE ]
Heads up, the dealer is always the small blind. After the flop, other player (Big Blind) must act first.
G$

[/ QUOTE ]

Agree.

Ten

[dakine]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
At both my local casino and my local home games we play big blind is the button.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's horrible.

[/ QUOTE ]

It also "Sucks!" (is that the same as Horrible?) /images/graemlins/tongue.gif