A♦5♦ BTN vs BB, turn on T♠ 7♠ 2♣ 4♦, 85 bb
The spot
- You: BTN
- Opponent: BB
- Your hand: A♦5♦
- Board: T♠ 7♠ 2♣ 4♦
- Effective stack: 85 bb
- Pot: 7.5 bb
Hero evaluates exploit leverage versus player-image assumptions.
Choose the strongest HU postflop strategy.
See the answer
Best play: Check
Why
The 4♦ turn on T♠7♠2♣ is a near-brick that changes little; checked to in a HU single-raised pot, hero is IP with no reason to inflate the pot with a marginal holding. Hero has A♦5♦ — ace high with a wheel gutshot (a 3 makes A‑2‑3‑4‑5) plus a backdoor diamond. Checking back keeps the pot small while realizing the ace-high and gutshot equity for free, taking a cheap river card in position rather than betting a hand that folds out worse and gets called by better.
Key idea
With ace-high plus a gutshot and no value to protect, checking back IP realizes equity cheaply and keeps your range robust.
Common mistake
Turning ace-high with a gutshot into a bluff by betting, which only folds out air and gets called by pairs that beat you.