Define "heads-up"

[Maura]

I know that most (all?) casinos allow unlimited raises
when the hand is "heads up", but is there a consistent definition of heads up?

I'm looking for the "right" one to use in my home game
Maybe there's just one and i'm confused, but there
seems to be several circumstances that are considered

Obviously if there are only two players in the hand at the beginning of the betting round, that's heads up

but suppose there are (say) 3 players
What about these situations?

a. player 1 bets, player 2 calls/raises and player 3 folds

b. player 1 bets, player 2 calls, player 3 raises.
player 1 reraises and player 2 folds.

i guess i'm asking .. can a betting round that starts with
3 or more players become heads up, and if so, how/when

thanks

~Maura

[Michael Davis]

Casinos have inconsistent rules here.

As far as I'm concerned, the reason for this reason is to make collusion less effective. That being the case, there is no reason that bets are not unlimited once it gets down to two players. It shouldn't matter how many started the round.

-Michael

[M.B.E.]

Casinos do have inconsistent rules on this. The rule should be that once betting is capped, it does not become "uncapped" on that betting round just because players fold so it is now heads-up.

For example, suppose three raises is a cap (as in Los Angeles). Three players see the flop. X bets, Y raises, Z threebets, X fourbets, and Y folds. Now Z wants to raise again, since it is now heads-up. In my view Z should not be allowed to raise, since at the time X fourbet it was not heads-up. X capped it, and is entitled to see the turn card without any further raises. Of course on the next betting round (the turn), unlimited raises will be allowed.