A♣Q♣ CO vs BB, turn on Q♠ 9♦ 4♣ 2♠, 100 bb
The spot
- You: CO
- Opponent: BB
- Your hand: A♣Q♣
- Board: Q♠ 9♦ 4♣ 2♠
- Effective stack: 100 bb
- Pot: 7 bb
Hero arrives on turn with equity and blocker leverage.
What action realizes the most EV in solver baseline?
See the answer
Best play: Raise
Why
The 2♠ turn is a blank that changes nothing on Q♠ 9♦ 4♣, keeping you firmly ahead. Your A♣Q♣ is top pair, top kicker (a pair of queens with the best kicker), one of the clearest value hands on this board. Against the BB's bet you raise for value: you get called by worse queens, nine-x, and draws, deny equity to the many backdoor and gutshot combos, and grow the pot while you hold a dominating hand.
Key idea
Top pair top kicker on a blank turn is a clear raise for value: get worse hands in and charge the draws.
Common mistake
Flatting top pair top kicker out of fear, letting draws realize equity cheaply and missing value on a dry board.