AKo on K♠ 9♥ 6♥, checked to you — bet or check?
The answer
Bet
value + protection
Best size: ⅔ pot · $8
The math: TPTK on two hearts. Worse kings pay, and every draw must pay to chase.
Why
Top pair with the best kicker on a board full of draws. Flush and straight cards can beat you if they arrive for free. Bet: worse kings, middle pairs and the many draws all call, so you get paid now and charge the draws to chase. Checking gives a free card that can sink you and wins nothing from the hands that would happily pay. Value and protection point the same way. Bet, and lean to a bigger size on a wet board.
The spot
- Your seat
- BTN
- Stakes and stacks
- $1 / $2 · 100bb
- Your hand
- A♥ K♦
- Board
- K♠ 9♥ 6♥
- Pot
- POT · $12
- Action on you
- BB checks
Every option
Checkslow-play it
Why not: Checking hands the draws a free card and wins nothing from the worse pairs and kings that would gladly pay.
Betvalue + protectionCorrect
⅓ pot · $4 · ⅔ pot · $8 · pot · $12
The idea behind it
A strong made hand on a draw-heavy flop wants money in now. Betting gets called by worse pairs and makes the draws pay. Checking hands a free card to the hands trying to run you down.
Concept: Value c-bet
Terms in this spot
Play it instead of reading it
The trainer deals this hand with hints, grading and spaced repetition — and randomized variations of it once you have seen it.