K♣5♣ CO vs BB, river on K♠ T♥ 7♠ 6♣ 2♠, 70 bb
The spot
- You: CO
- Opponent: BB
- Your hand: K♣5♣
- Board: K♠ T♥ 7♠ 6♣ 2♠
- Effective stack: 70 bb
- Pot: 14.5 bb
Advanced node: capped range attack opportunity.
Best advanced line?
See the answer
Best play: Check
Why
River: final board K♠ T♥ 7♠ 6♣ 2♠, three spades. Hero K♣5♣ pairs the K♠ for top pair with the worst possible kicker (a five), and holds no spade, so no flush. This is a bluff‑catcher that beats only busted air; overbetting 120% is indefensible because every worse hand folds and only better kings, two-pair, and made flushes call or raise. Check and take showdown.
Key idea
Top pair with the worst kicker on a three-flush river is a showdown hand, not a value bet. If only better hands continue and worse hands fold, betting (let alone overbetting) burns money.
Common mistake
Treating any top pair as an automatic value bet. K5 here beats no calling hand and dies to the three-spade flushes the board enables; the overbet turns a showdown winner into a loser.