9♠8♠ BTN vs BB, flop on K♠ J♠ 7♥, 90 bb
The spot
- You: BTN
- Opponent: BB
- Your hand: 9♠8♠
- Board: K♠ J♠ 7♥
- Effective stack: 90 bb
- Pot: 3 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 connected high board that smashes the BB's broadway-heavy range, so the BB holds the range and nut advantage. Hero's 9♠8♠ is air for made value but carries a 9-high flush draw (the K♠ and J♠ cap it below the nuts) plus a gutshot — a Ten makes J‑T‑9‑8‑7. Hero is IN POSITION; with no made hand and only a draw on a board good for villain, checking back takes a free card and keeps the pot small rather than bloating it with a raise that folds out worse and gets called by better.
Key idea
With just a non-nut draw on a board that favors the opponent's range, take the free card in position instead of raising.
Common mistake
Raising a bare second-nut flush draw into the range that has all the kings and broadway value, bloating the pot with no fold equity over better.