K♠Q♠ BTN vs BB, preflop, 85 bb
The spot
- You: BTN
- Opponent: BB
- Your hand: K♠Q♠
- Board: preflop, no board yet
- Effective stack: 85 bb
- Pot: 7.5 bb
Hero chooses between call, raise, and controlled passivity.
What action keeps the highest practical EV?
See the answer
Best play: Raise
Why
K‑Q suited is a premium playable broadway, so RAISE is the value-and-aggression line: you take the lead with a hand that blocks K‑K, A‑K and Q‑Q while flopping top pairs, strong draws, and flush potential. Suited, connected and dominating much of a wide range, it earns through both fold equity and equity when called, which makes building the pot clearly better than a passive option.
Key idea
Suited broadways like KQs raise for value: they block premiums, dominate weaker broadways, and flop top pairs plus draws, so aggression beats a passive line.
Common mistake
Flatting or playing KQs passively, forfeiting fold equity and the value of a hand that both blocks premiums and out-flops most of villains range.