AQo on Q♥ 8♣ 3♦, checked to you — bet or check?
The answer
Bet
bet small for value
Best size: ⅓ pot · $4
The math: Top pair, top kicker on a bone-dry Q-8-3 rainbow — worse queens, pairs and floats all pay a small bet.
Why
You raised pre and flopped top pair with the best kicker on a dry, disconnected board, so almost nothing worse folds and almost nothing better is out there. Bet small and worse queens, the underpairs and the overcard floats all tag along, building the pot while you're ahead. There are no flush or straight draws on Q-8-3 rainbow, so keep the size down and let the weak stuff feel safe. Checking wins the minimum and hands the overcards a free card to outdraw your queen.
The spot
- Your seat
- BTN
- Stakes and stacks
- $1 / $2 · 100bb
- Your hand
- A♠ Q♦
- Board
- Q♥ 8♣ 3♦
- Pot
- POT · $12
- Action on you
- BB checks
Every option
Checkgive a free card
Why not: Checking wins the minimum and gives the overcards a free card to outdraw your queen, when worse hands would have gladly paid a bet.
Betbet small for valueCorrect
⅓ pot · $4 · ⅔ pot · $8 · pot · $12
The idea behind it
Top pair, top kicker on a dry board is a clean value bet. With no draws to charge, size down so the many worse hands feel safe enough to call.
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.