PokerToast · study tools for mixed-game poker
Heads-up limit Hold'em preflop strategy: raise, limp, defend, 3-bet
Heads-up, the button posts the small blind and acts first before the flop (raise, limp or fold); the big blind then calls, folds or 3-bets, and the betting is capped at four bets. Everything here is the heads-up solver's own strategy: which hands the button plays, how wide the big blind defends, and three single hands that come up in questions (Aces on the button, a small pair in the big blind, a good-but-not-great hand facing a 3-bet).
The spots, in one table
| Spot | Solver's main play (how often) | Worth (EV estimate, small bets) | Common advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heads-up limit Hold'em: which hands does the button fold? | 7-2 offsuit: Fold (99.9%) all hands: folds 18.5% | +0.00 | agrees |
| Heads-up limit Hold'em: pocket Aces on the button. Raise or limp? | Raise (100.0%) | +4.40 | agrees |
| Heads-up limit Hold'em: big blind defense against a button raise | A-5 offsuit: Re-raise (3-bet) (51.6%) all hands: folds 13.2% | +1.06 | no source |
| Heads-up limit Hold'em: pocket 2s in the big blind against a button raise | Re-raise (3-bet) (51.4%) | +0.55 best measured: call +0.60 | no source |
| Heads-up limit Hold'em: K-J offsuit on the button facing a 3-bet. Cap, call or fold? | Call (100.0%) | +1.95 | no source |
Heads-up limit Hold'em; "how often" is the solver's strategy, "worth" is measured from this decision on (fold = 0). Each spot page has the full table, the why and the method.
What the numbers add up to
Across the 3 single-decision spots here, the solver's main play puts more money in (completes, bets or raises) in 2, calls in 1.
A published answer was found for 1 of them; heads-up, the solver agrees with it in 1, partly agrees in 0 and disagrees in 0.
Closest calls (two plays worth about the same, so either is fine): Heads-up limit Hold'em: pocket 2s in the big blind against a button raise (call or re-raise (3-bet)).
The spots
- In heads-up limit Hold'em, which hands should the button fold before the flop?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Hold'em solver plays 82% of hands from the button (raises 75%, limps 7%) and folds 18%. - In heads-up limit Hold'em, should I ever limp pocket Aces on the button?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Hold'em solver raises with pocket Aces on the button 100.0% of the time. - In heads-up limit Hold'em, how wide should the big blind defend against a button raise, and how often should it 3-bet?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Hold'em solver defends the big blind against a button raise with 87% of hands: it calls 57%, 3-bets 30% and folds 13%. - In heads-up limit Hold'em, I have pocket 2s in the big blind and the button raises. 3-bet, call or fold?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Hold'em solver 3-bets with pocket 2s in the big blind against a button raise 51% of the time, and calls 49%. - In heads-up limit Hold'em, I raised K-J offsuit on the button and the big blind 3-bet. Cap, call or fold?
Heads-up, PokerToast's limit Hold'em solver calls with K-J offsuit on the button facing a 3-bet 100.0% of the time.
Numbers from PokerToast's heads-up limit Hold'em solver, version H-9047710-20261007012447, looked up when this page was built (2026-10-19). Heads-up only; hand groups, not exact cards; EVs are measured estimates against an opponent who plays like the solver.