T9s on K♥ Q♦ 4♣ facing a bet — fold, call or raise?
The answer
Fold
give up the hand
The math: Nominal gutshot = 4 jacks → ≈8% next card; price = 33%. Against A-T, a jack makes you the lower straight.
Why
A jack gives you K-Q-J-T-9, but A-T makes Broadway on that same card. Even four fully clean outs would give only about 8% next-card equity against a 33% price; discounting dominated jacks makes the fold clearer.
The spot
- Your seat
- BB
- Stakes and stacks
- $1 / $2 · 100bb
- Your hand
- T♠ 9♠
- Board
- K♥ Q♦ 4♣
- Pot
- POT · $20
- Action on you
- CO bets $20 · pot
Every option
Foldgive up the handCorrect
Callcall $20
Why not: The price is already far too high, and a jack is not always clean: A-T makes Broadway over your king-high straight.
Raisebluff-raise
2.5x · $50 · all-in
Why not: Four nominal outs, some dominated, are not enough equity to attack a pot-size bet.
The idea behind it
Nominal outs are not automatically clean. Before counting a card, ask whether it can complete a higher straight or flush for the range betting into you.
Concept: Counting outs
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.