We correctly checked back a marginal pair on the turn but faced a difficult river decision where our hand functions as a pure bluff-catcher.
Betting small is the preferred strategy here to leverage our range advantage on a low, semi-wet board. Our specific hand has enough equity to bet for protection and thin value, but our sizing was slightly too large.
Note: Sizing up to 2.3BB is slightly too large; a smaller 20% pot bet (0.9BB) better serves our range by keeping Villain's wide range in while protecting our equity.
Checking back is the most consistent play once the Ace arrives. It's a scare card that hits the BB's calling range well, and our hand has shifted from a thin value bet to a marginal bluff-catcher that needs to realize equity.
Calling here is a high-frequency decision because we block the straight (35) and Villain has enough missed spade draws to make this profitable. While the range leans toward folding, our specific combo is a strong candidate to catch bluffs. **Ranges:** Villain's range is polarized between straights (35s), two pairs (A9, 42s), and total air like missed spade draws (KsQs, JsTs). We block the straight with our 5, making it less likely they have the nuts. **Math:** We are getting 2.5:1 on a call, requiring roughly 28% equity. With our hand beating their missed draws and some thin value stabs, we clear this threshold comfortably. **Blockers:** Holding the 5s is significant as it blocks the only possible straight (35) while not blocking the missed spade draws that Villain is most likely to bluff with. --- > **Takeaway:** When you hold a blocker to the only straight on a dry river, your marginal pairs become much more effective bluff-catchers.