Flop Analysis
Betting small is a viable alternative to checking here. On paired boards, we want to deny equity to overcards like KQ or AT while getting called by weaker pocket pairs.
While checking is a safe default with middle pairs, betting small on paired boards helps deny equity and extracts value from high-card floats.
Betting small is a viable alternative to checking here. On paired boards, we want to deny equity to overcards like KQ or AT while getting called by weaker pocket pairs.
Checking is perfectly fine here to control the pot size. The 9d is a neutral card that doesn't change much, though it does introduce some backdoor diamond draws for the CO.
Checking is standard on this river. The Queen is a bad card for us as it completes some straights (KT, T8) and improves CO's overcards like QTs or QJs to a better pair.