K♠J♠ BB vs SB, preflop, 100 bb
The spot
- You: BB
- Opponent: SB
- Your hand: K♠J♠
- Board: preflop, no board yet
- Effective stack: 100 bb
- Pot: 2 bb
Folded to hero preflop in 6‑max.
What is the strongest default preflop action?
See the answer
Best play: Raise / 3-bet
Why
Hero holds K‑J suited (K♠J♠, a strong suited Broadway) in the BB and it folds around, so this is a first-in open, not a 3‑bet. Opening the BB or completing-then-raising the SB battle, KJs is far inside any reasonable opening range: two Broadway cards, suited for nut-flush-adjacent equity, and a dominating kicker over most K-x and J-x. Raising builds the pot with a hand that flops top pair and strong draws comfortably.
Key idea
When it folds to you, your default with a suited Broadway like KJs is to open-raise, not to invent a 3‑bet that does not exist. Suited two-Broadway hands open from every seat.
Common mistake
Calling this a 3‑bet bluff or just checking back the strength: first-in, there is no raise to 3‑bet, and KJs is a value open you want chips in with.