9♠9♦ CO vs BB, river on J♠ 7♣ 4♦ T♦ 3♠, 90 bb
The spot
- You: CO
- Opponent: BB
- Your hand: 9♠9♦
- Board: J♠ 7♣ 4♦ T♦ 3♠
- Effective stack: 90 bb
- Pot: 24.5 bb
This river node requires thin value and bluff‑catch discipline.
Choose the highest-EV river action.
See the answer
Best play: Check
Why
Final board J‑T‑7‑4‑3: villain's range carries J-x and T-x pairs, the odd straight, and a stack of busted draws, with strong value left unbetted because the river checked to hero. Hero's 9♠9♦ is an underpair below both the jack and the ten — a medium showdown hand that beats only the missed draws and loses to every top or second pair. In position with the action checked through, this hand is too weak to value-bet and has no blocker incentive to bluff, so hero checks back to realize its showdown value against the air.
Key idea
When your made hand beats only bluffs, check it back in position and let it win at showdown.
Common mistake
Betting an underpair and getting raised off the showdown value it would have won with at check.