Puzzles
#05
Flop C-bet
Intermediate
MTT, 40bb effective

The flop where simplifying is free

One flop decision from UTG on A♥Q♦3♠. Playing a perfect mixed strategy here is optional — but only if you pick the right size to simplify to. One of the two costs nothing at all; the other costs 6.6bb/100.

  1. Flop

Hand info

Seats
UTG vs BB
Street
Flop
Pot
5.5 bb
Effective stack
37.5 bb

Single raised pot, no ante. Blinds 0.5 / 1.

Pot5.5 BB
HERO ·UTG
37.5 BB
HJ
FOLD
CO
FOLD
D
BTN
FOLD
SB
FOLD
BB
CHECK35 BB behind

FLOP · 37.5BB EFFECTIVE

FLOP · BB CHECKS

6-max table. Hero is UTG with 37.5 big blinds effective. FLOP: Ah, Qd, 3s. FLOP · BB CHECKS. Hero holds Ks and Js.

Hand history

Pre-flop

  • UTGRaises to 2.5 bb
  • HJFolds
  • COFolds
  • BTNFolds
  • SBFolds
  • BBCalls 1.5 bb

Flop

  • BBChecks

You opened UTG and only the big blind called. The flop is A♥Q♦3♠ — ace-high and rainbow — and the big blind checks to you. You hold K♠J♠: no pair, a gutshot to Broadway and a backdoor spade draw, with 5.5bb in the middle and 37.5bb behind.

What is your action?