A♣Q♣ SB vs BTN, turn on K♦ 6♠ 2♥ T♣, 95 bb
The spot
- You: SB
- Opponent: BTN
- Your hand: A♣Q♣
- Board: K♦ 6♠ 2♥ T♣
- Effective stack: 95 bb
- Pot: 7 bb
Villain range is partially capped after passive turn sequence.
Choose the strongest turn strategy.
See the answer
Best play: Raise
Why
The T♣ turn on K♦6♠2♥ brings a broadway card that hits straights and connects with the BTN's range, but it also turns your A♣Q♣ into a gutshot to the nut straight (any J makes A‑K‑Q‑J‑T) plus two overcards. You hold no pair, so this is a semi-bluff spot, and you carry the strongest blockers in the deck: the ace blocks AK and AA, the queen blocks KQ and QQ. Out of position you check and then check‑raise the BTN's turn bet, applying maximum pressure with a hand that has clean equity to improve to the nuts and removal that makes the BTN's value continues far less likely.
Key idea
OOP, a nut-straight gutshot with ace-plus-queen blockers is a prime check‑raise semi-bluff against the IP bettor.
Common mistake
Just calling with this gutshot OOP forfeits the fold equity and blocker leverage that make the check‑raise the higher-EV line.