T♦9♦ BTN vs BB, turn on J♣ 8♦ 5♠ Q♠, 75 bb
The spot
- You: BTN
- Opponent: BB
- Your hand: T♦9♦
- Board: J♣ 8♦ 5♠ Q♠
- Effective stack: 75 bb
- Pot: 10 bb
Villain range is partially capped after passive turn sequence.
Choose the strongest turn strategy.
See the answer
Best play: Raise
Why
The Q♠ turn completes hero's straight on J♣8♦5♠|Q♠: with T♦9♦ you make Q‑J‑T‑9‑8, the current nuts, while the BB's two-pair and set holdings are now drawing dead or thin. This is a max-value spot — you hold a hand that beats every made pair and combo draw the BB continued with. Raising forward (or check-raising if checked to) blows the pot up while villain still has plenty of strong second-best hands to pay you, so applying maximum pressure with the nut straight is clearly correct.
Key idea
When the turn gives you the nut straight against a range full of two pair and sets, raise to build the pot — speed equals value.
Common mistake
Slow-playing the nut straight on a paired-up two-pair board lets a brick river kill your action and your value.