Flop Analysis
Auto-played to reach this drill spot — you didn't act here, so it isn't scored.
While we turned top pair, the river raise was an overplay against a range that contains many two-pair and straight combinations.
Auto-played to reach this drill spot — you didn't act here, so it isn't scored.
Stabbing small after the turn Ace is correct to extract value from King-x and Ten-x holdings that checked twice. **Ranges:** Our range has a significant advantage now that the Ace has landed, as we have all the AK, AQ, and AJ combos that BB lacks. BB's range is condensed toward marginal pairs like K9 or JT. **Math:** A 1/3 pot sizing is ideal here; it forces BB to continue with their entire marginal range while keeping the pot manageable if we are behind a slow-played straight. **Plan:** If called, we are looking for non-spade bricks. The pool over-folds to this stab (56%), making this a high-EV bet even if our hand were weaker. --- > **Takeaway:** When the board brings an overcard that favors your preflop range, use small sizing to thin-value marginal made hands.
Raising the river is a significant mistake. Once BB leads into us on this runout, our top pair is primarily a bluff-catcher, not a value-raising hand. **Ranges:** BB's lead represents a range that has overtaken us, featuring many two-pair combos like AT and A8, or the straight with QJ. By raising, we only get called by hands that beat us and fold out the bluffs we want to keep in. **Math:** We are getting 4:1 on a call, needing only 20% equity. While we have enough equity to call against missed spade draws or turned bluffs, we do not have the 50%+ required to raise for value. **Blockers:** Holding the Jc is actually detrimental for a raise; we block some of the QJ straights BB might fold, but more importantly, we don't block the two-pair hands that are snap-calling us. --- > **Takeaway:** Don't turn a solid bluff-catcher into a bluff or a thin value raise when the opponent's lead range is heavily weighted toward better two-pair combos.
Note: Raising is an overplay; your top pair is a pure bluff-catcher facing a lead on this board. You only get called by better hands.