Puzzles
#18
Turn Play
Intermediate
MTT, 40bb effective

When the flop checks through, the ranges change places

One decision, out of position on the turn. The pre-flop raiser checked the flop back — and that single passive action hands you a betting range you did not have a moment earlier.

  1. Turn

Hand info

Seats
BB vs UTG
Street
Turn
Pot
5.5 bb
Effective stack
37.5 bb
To call
Nothing — you may check

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

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

TURN · 37.5BB EFFECTIVE

TURN · FIRST TO ACT

6-max table. Hero is BB with 37.5 big blinds effective. TURN: 9h, 8h, 4d, 5s. TURN · FIRST TO ACT. Hero holds 5d and 5c.

Hand history

Pre-flop

  • UTGRaises to 2.5 bb
  • BBCalls 1.5 bb

Flop

  • 9♥ 8♥ 4♦ — pot 5.5 bb
  • BBChecks
  • UTGChecks

Turn

  • 5♠ — pot 5.5 bb

You called UTG’s open in the big blind and checked the 9♥ 8♥ 4♦ flop. UTG checked behind. The turn is the 5♠: it gives you a set of fives — and it is also the card that completes 7-6 for a straight. The pot is still 5.5bb, you have 37.5bb behind, and you are first to act.

The flop checked through. What is your action on this turn?