Q♠T♠ SB vs BTN, river on J♠ 7♣ 4♦ T♦ 3♠, 70 bb
The spot
- You: SB
- Opponent: BTN
- Your hand: Q♠T♠
- Board: J♠ 7♣ 4♦ T♦ 3♠
- Effective stack: 70 bb
- Pot: 18.5 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♠ 7♣ 4♦ T♦ 3♠ is disconnected with no completed flush and only a clunky straight chance; the BTN's value is Jx and overpairs while busted diamonds and broadways missed. Hero holds Q♠T♠ — a pair of tens (second pair) with a queen kicker, a medium showdown hand that beats 7x and air but loses to every Jx. From OOP, checking is the disciplined line — a value lead gets raised or called only by better Tx/Jx, so hero checks to realize the showdown value of the pair, control the pot, and induce bluffs from the BTN's missed diamonds and broadways.
Key idea
A medium pair OOP that beats only bluffs prefers checking to take a cheap showdown and induce bluffs rather than leading into better made hands.
Common mistake
Thin-value leading second pair OOP into a range that only continues with Jx and better, getting raised off your showdown value.