A3o BTN on J85r: Ace-High Bluff Catching

Hero
A♣3♠
Position
BTN vs SB
Pot
Single-Raised Pot
Flop
5♦ 8♥ J♠

We use our Ace-high's showdown value and excellent pot odds to catch a small river bet after the board double-pairs.

Flop Analysis

Checking is preferred here. While we have the range advantage, A3o has very little equity and no real draws, making it a poor candidate for a large c-bet.

Note: Betting A-high with no draws on this texture is unnecessary; checking back allows us to realize equity and catch bluffs later.

Turn Analysis

Checking back is the correct play. The Jack pairing the board is better for the SB's range, as they have more Jx than we do after we bet the flop.

River Analysis

Calling is mandatory given the price. The board double-pairing means our Ace-high has been upgraded to two pair, and we only need to be right ~20% of the time.

Key Concepts

  • 6.3
  • Neutral Range
  • IP
  • Dry Board
  • LEAN TOWARD CHECK