A typical one table Sit N Go pays 1st place 50% of the prize pool. 2nd and 3rd receive 30% and 20 % respectively. This structure makes it pretty clear that 1st place is your only goal if you want to show a profit over the long run.

We are going to assume that you have played good poker and enjoyed your share of luck and now find yourself heads-up at the end of a Sit N Go. Now is the time to stop shifting gears and hit the nitro button.

If you have been in this spot before, you have probably seen people employing a seemingly simple and crazy strategy. They only have 2 moves; all in or fold. First you need to accept that this strategy is based purely on math. Psychology and betting patterns you may have been focusing on no longer apply. Who is the hammer (big stack) and who is the anvil (small stack) is also irrelevant.

Since this strategy is based on math, we will have to cover a couple equations. If math scares you, don’t worry. The equations are simple to learn and easy to apply. In fact, you could write everything down on an index card and use it as you play. Use this heads-up strategy in a few Sit N Go tournaments and you will find it is practically second nature.

Find R
First you want to calculate R. R is the ratio of the short stack (SS) to the big blind (BB). This is simply a matter of taking the short stack and dividing it by the big blind. Here is what the equation looks like:

SS ÷ BB = R

You do not need an exact number for R, just the nearest whole number. If the big blind is $1,000 and the short stack is $4,500 the ratio would be 4.5. I round it up to 5 but if you use 4 the difference in expectation is too small to have any significant impact over time. The other thing to note is that it does not matter whether you or your opponent is the short stack.

Find P
The next number you need to calculate is P. P is the power of your hand. P is based exclusively on the cards in your hand. Start with the base value (B). If your hand is suited, your base is 2. If you are holding a pair, your base is 22. All other starting hands have a base of 0.

Now find the value of your individual cards. The rank of the lower card (L) is equal to its rank. A jack is worth 11, queen 12, king 13 and an ace is 15. All other cards are equal to the number displayed. Calculate the value of the higher card (H) by multiplying its rank by 2.

Now add all three numbers together and you have your P. Base plus lower card plus the higher card times two equals the power. Here is what this equation looks like:

B + L + (H x 2) = P

So, the best hand in poker, pocket aces, would have a P of 67. 22 + 15 + (15 x 2) = 67. The worst hand according to poker experts, seven deuce off suit, would have a P of 16. 0 + 2 (7 x 2) = 16. In heads-up play, deuce trey suited is even worse with a P of 10. 2 + 2 + (3 x 2) = 10.

One reason this system only applies to heads-up play is because the value of being suited or connected is in your potential to win a big pot. Those big pots are created by several people contributing chips during post-flop play. There is no post-flop play with this strategy. Therefore, connectedness is completely irrelevant and being suited has only very marginal value.

Plug in the Numbers
Now simply take your two numbers and plug them into the table and your play is optimized. R tells you which row to use. If your P is smaller than the number listed, you fold. If it is equal to or bigger, you call the all in when you are the big blind and push all in when you are the small blind.

You obviously need a bigger P to call an all in bet than you would need to push all in yourself. Also note that this strategy only applies when R is 7 or lower. If R is higher than 7, you should continue to play the solid poker that got you to this point. This is why you may not be able to use this strategy in multi-table events. There are so many chips in play that the short stack in heads-up play will often have a double digit ratio to the big blind.

Now you are armed and ready. Next time you are heads-up at the end of a Sit N Go, don’t keep trying to shift gears, hit the nitro and take control of the heads-up play.

Good luck to you! and I hope after reading this I am not playing you heads up.