J♣T♣ SB vs BTN, flop on T♠ 7♠ 7♦, 95 bb
The spot
- You: SB
- Opponent: BTN
- Your hand: J♣T♣
- Board: T♠ 7♠ 7♦
- Effective stack: 95 bb
- Pot: 10.5 bb
Hero chooses between call, raise, and controlled passivity.
What action keeps the highest practical EV?
See the answer
Best play: Raise
Why
On T-s 7-s 7-d hero in the SB is out of position to the BTN raiser, but this low paired board misses most of his big offsuit broadways, so the blind defender's range holds up well. Your J-c T-c is effectively TOP PAIR (the Ten is the high card, the board pairs the 7) with a J kicker, plus an overcard and a backdoor club draw. Out of position you check to the in-position raiser and then check‑raise: on a dynamic paired board your top pair wants to build the pot for value, deny equity to overcards and flush backdoors, and put pressure on the many unpaired broadways he c‑bets.
Key idea
Out of position on a paired board, top pair check‑raises for value and to deny overcard equity.
Common mistake
Passively check-calling top pair and letting his overcards and backdoors see cheap turns.