A♠Q♦ BB vs BTN, river on J♠ 7♣ 4♦ T♦ 3♠, 60 bb
The spot
- You: BB
- Opponent: BTN
- Your hand: A♠Q♦
- Board: J♠ 7♣ 4♦ T♦ 3♠
- Effective stack: 60 bb
- Pot: 18.5 bb
River checks to hero after two-street sequence.
Best river decision in baseline?
See the answer
Best play: Bet 40% pot
Why
Final board J♠ 7♣ 4♦ T♦ 3♠ has no flush and no completed straight, so value is Jx and overpairs while busted draws form the bulk of the air. Hero's A♠Q♦ missed completely — it is ace-high with no pair, pure air at showdown. Out of position, hero leads small as a blocker bluff: the ace blocks villain's Ax that would call, the Q blocks QJ and QT, and a small lead pressures the medium Jx and missed draws that must fold without risking much.
Key idea
Ace-high air with strong blockers leads small as a bluff, not check-give-up.
Common mistake
Checking back air that has no showdown value but ideal blockers to bluff.