Q♦J♦ BTN vs BB, flop on K♠ J♠ 7♥, 65 bb
The spot
- You: BTN
- Opponent: BB
- Your hand: Q♦J♦
- Board: K♠ J♠ 7♥
- Effective stack: 65 bb
- Pot: 4.5 bb
Hero chooses between call, raise, and controlled passivity.
What action keeps the highest practical EV?
See the answer
Best play: Check
Why
K♠J♠7♥ is a spade-heavy broadway board where the BB's check hands the BTN initiative, but it connects with both ranges. Q♦J♦ is middle pair (the jack) with a gutshot to the ten for the KQJT straight and a backdoor diamond draw — decent but vulnerable, with no spade. In position, checking back is correct: it controls the pot with a marginal made hand, takes a free card toward the straight, and keeps hero's checking range protected rather than betting and getting check‑raised off equity.
Key idea
Middle pair with a gutshot is a textbook pot-control check-back in position on a coordinated board.
Common mistake
Betting middle pair plus gutshot for thin value and getting check‑raised by the many flush and straight draws.