Q♣J♣ BTN vs BB, turn on T♠ 7♠ 2♣ 4♦, 60 bb
The spot
- You: BTN
- Opponent: BB
- Your hand: Q♣J♣
- Board: T♠ 7♠ 2♣ 4♦
- Effective stack: 60 bb
- Pot: 6 bb
Hero evaluates exploit leverage versus player-image assumptions.
Choose the strongest HU postflop strategy.
See the answer
Best play: Check
Why
Single-raised HU pot, IP on the turn: the board is T♠7♠2♣ with a 4♦ turn and the action checks to Hero, who holds Q♣J♣ — queen-high with only a backdoor club draw and a gutshot to the 9. With negligible showdown value and no made hand, checking back is correct: betting bloats the pot with a weak holding the BB can check‑raise, and a bet only folds out hands you already beat while folding-in nothing better. Taking the free card lets you peel a Q, J, or 9 cheaply and keeps the pot small with a marginal hand against a wide HU range.
Key idea
Queen-high with only backdoors checked to you in position is a check-back: take the free card, don't bloat the pot.
Common mistake
Stabbing with queen-high air when checked to, turning a free showdown into a spot where you get check‑raised off your equity.