K♠J♠ BTN vs BB, preflop, 105 bb
The spot
- You: BTN
- Opponent: BB
- Your hand: K♠J♠
- Board: preflop, no board yet
- Effective stack: 105 bb
- Pot: 8 bb
Villain opens and action is on hero preflop.
Which action keeps the best EV baseline?
See the answer
Best play: Call
Why
Hero holds K♠J♠, a suited Broadway, on the BTN facing a raise from the BB. Flatting (call) keeps the BTN in position against a wide opener and lets KJs realize its equity across all streets, where a 3‑bet risks getting 4‑bet off a hand that plays beautifully postflop. Calling captures the dominated-hand and floppy-equity advantage that position grants without inflating the pot out of position-free comfort.
Key idea
In position with a strong suited Broadway like KJs, flatting an open is often higher-EV than 3-betting: you keep dominated hands in, realize equity in position, and avoid being blown off your equity by a 4‑bet.
Common mistake
Auto-3-betting KJs every time: it folds out the worse hands you dominate and gets 4‑bet by the stronger ones, turning a great flatting hand into a bluff against a range that has you crushed.