A♥Q♣ BTN vs BB, preflop, 60 bb
The spot
- You: BTN
- Opponent: BB
- Your hand: A♥Q♣
- Board: preflop, no board yet
- Effective stack: 60 bb
- Pot: 6 bb
Hero chooses between call, raise, and controlled passivity.
What action keeps the highest practical EV?
See the answer
Best play: Raise
Why
On the BTN versus the BB, A♥Q♣ is a premium offsuit broadway that raises for value and dominance: it crushes the weaker A-x and Q-x hands a wide blind defends with, picks up immediate fold equity, and keeps initiative with position. Flatting wastes its dominance edge, so iso-raising is clearly the highest-EV line.
Key idea
Big offsuit aces like AQo iso-raise from the BTN for fold equity and to dominate a wide blind-defending range.
Common mistake
Flatting AQo on the BTN, surrendering both initiative and the chance to charge dominated A-x and Q-x in the blinds.