8♠7♠ BB vs BTN, preflop, 65 bb
The spot
- You: BB
- Opponent: BTN
- Your hand: 8♠7♠
- Board: preflop, no board yet
- Effective stack: 65 bb
- Pot: 2 bb
Heads-up preflop confrontation between BTN and BB.
Best default HU preflop action?
See the answer
Best play: Call
Why
87s in the BB versus a BTN open is a textbook flat: a suited connector with elite playability, straight and flush potential, and excellent equity realization that lets it overperform its raw equity postflop. Against a near-100 percent BTN range it is well above the defending threshold, and at 65bb deep the extra stacks reward its implied-odds, flop-a-strong-draw profile. Flatting keeps the BTN wide range in and sets up profitable multi-street play; 87s also makes a fine occasional 3‑bet bluff, but the pure call is the EV core here.
Key idea
Suited connectors are premium BB defends HU: their playability and implied odds make them realize more than their raw equity, especially deeper. Flat them to keep the BTN wide and play strong, disguised flops.
Common mistake
Folding suited connectors like 87s in the BB. Against a wide BTN open they are clear, profitable defends; folding sheds EV and gives up high-playability flops.