Heads-up at 20 to 40bb

The last two players: the button min-raises, limps or folds, and the big blind checks, calls or jams.

Last updated October 16, 2026

What it means: Heads-up the small blind is also the button, so it acts first before the flop and last after it. At 20 to 40bb the button plays almost every hand, mixing min-raises and limps, and folds very little. The big blind defends very wide and jams or 3-bets the top of its range. The app's heads-up charts at 40, 25 and 20bb are approximate, from the app's heads-up preflop solve with antes.
How it is calculated: From the button, min-raise hands that like fold equity or a bigger pot, limp weak offsuit and low suited hands, and fold only trash. From the big blind, check behind a limp with most hands and raise the strong ones (a jam at 20bb); against a min-raise call wide because the price is good, and 3-bet or jam the best hands. When the big blind jams over your min-raise, call when your hand has enough equity against its jam range.
Worked example: At 25bb the button min-raises K7o, limps K4o and folds 72o. Facing that min-raise, the big blind jams 88 and ATo and calls with Q5o. The button then calls the jam with 77 and folds A4o.
Why it matters: Every tournament you win ends heads-up, and the ranges are far wider than at a full table. Folding the button like a 6-max player gives away the blinds every hand.