55 on A♥ K♣ 8♦ facing a check-raise — fold, call or raise?
The answer
Fold
let it go
The math: call $30 to draw to two outs · an underpair beats none of a check-raise's value and has no fold equity.
Why
A check-raise into your c-bet is a narrow, strong range, and on an ace-king board that means two pair, sets and big aces and kings. Your pocket fives are an underpair to both overcards: they beat none of the value, hold just two outs to a set, and have no fold equity against a hand that wants the money in. There's nothing to do here but let it go and save your stack for a better spot.
The spot
- Your seat
- BTN
- Stakes and stacks
- $1 / $2 · 100bb
- Your hand
- 5♠ 5♦
- Board
- A♥ K♣ 8♦
- Pot
- POT · $30
- Action on you
- BB check-raises to $40
Every option
Foldlet it goCorrect
Callpay $30 to see a turn
Why not: A check-raise on an ace-king board is two pair, sets and strong aces. Your fives beat none of that value and have only two outs to a set. Paying $30 to chase a card you'll rarely hit just loses more.
Raisere-raise as a bluff
2.5x · $100 · all-in
Why not: Re-raising turns your fives into a pure bluff, but there's nothing to bluff: the check-raiser has already shown strength and won't fold an ace or a king. You'd only build a pot you're behind in.
The idea behind it
A raise into your bet is the strongest action in poker. It builds the pot and gives up a free card, so the range behind it is narrow and strong. An underpair to the board's overcards loses to all of that value and has almost no way to improve.
Concept: Facing a raise
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.