Hold'em table

K2s on the button in a 3-handed game is a profitable open, and raising to 250 applies pressure to the blinds while keeping initiative.

7-9 offsuit in the small blind facing a 2.5x button open is a standard fold; out of position with a weak hand and the big blind still to act.

Calling 150 into a 400 pot is about 27% pot odds, and 5-8 suited has enough playability against a button open to justify defending the big blind.

Our 5-8 has no pair and only a weak two-card straight draw on a 4-9-T board, and checking is free as the big blind, so we take the free card.

Continuation bet on a semi-coordinated board to represent strength and take down the pot, with backdoor flush and overcard as backup.

I have a three-diamond flush draw with 5d 8d on a 4d 9s Td flop, about 35% equity to the 9 outs, and calling 275 into an 825 pot gives roughly 25% pot odds, so calling is profitable against a continuation bet.

I have 5-8 with no pair and only a weak backdoor straight potential on this board, so checking is the cheapest way to see the river without adding chips.

I have King-high with no draw and no diamond, and the turn Ace completes many flushes and pairs for my opponent. Checking behind is safest with this weak hand, and I can consider bluffing the river if checked to again.

I hold only a pair of eights on a board with an ace, ten, and nine, and seat_1 has shown strength through the flop, so I'll take the free showdown rather than bloat the pot with a bluff.

We have king-high with no showdown value and opponent has checked twice on a scary board, so a river bluff can fold out weak pairs and missed draws. Betting around two-thirds pot represents QJ or a flush while risking less than the pot.

I have a five-diamond flush (Ad Td 8d 5d 4d), which is strong on this river. Calling 750 is the best value line against a large river bet, since a raise could fold out worse hands but risks running into a bigger flush.

75 offsuit on the button in a 3-handed game is below a standard opening range; folding avoids playing a weak, disconnected hand out of position postflop against two blinds.

Q8 suited is a playable hand in a 3-handed pot, and completing the small blind for 50 more is cheap with good postflop potential.

Our hand is weak (6-4 offsuit), and we can see a free flop by checking. No reason to raise.

I hold a pair of eights with a queen kicker on a 9-8-7 board, a moderate-strength hand that is not strong enough to bet into an unknown field. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me see whether seat_1 bets.

I have an open-ended straight draw with no showdown value. Betting 100 as a semi-bluff can win the pot now if seat 3 missed the flop, while still having good equity if called.

I have a pair of eights with a Q kicker plus an open-ended straight draw (6 or T completes it), so calling 100 into a 300 pot is well-priced and keeps me in against seat_1's flop bet.

I hold a pair of eights with a modest showdown value and no to_call, so checking keeps the pot small and avoids bloating it against a player who has shown aggression on the flop.

I have an open-ended straight draw with no pair and no showdown value. Seat 3 called my flop bet, so they likely have a piece. Checking lets me see a free river and avoid building a pot with a weak draw.

I hold a pair of eights with a queen kicker on a board with no completed straight, so I have a medium-strength showdown hand. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids bloating it against a player who has shown aggression on this hand.

We have the low end straight with 6-4 on a 8-9-7-K-5 board, but a ten would make a higher straight. Seat 3 has been passive, but could be trapping. Checking behind avoids a potential check-raise and secures the pot if we're ahead, while losing minimal if we're behind.

Jack-nine suited-ish offsuit on the button is a playable hand against two blinds; raising to 250 takes the initiative and wins the pot often enough, with fold equity from the small blind and big blind.

J6o is too weak to play out of position against a button raise with the big blind still to act; folding avoids further investment with a marginal hand.

9-6 offsuit is a weak hand out of position versus a button open; calling 150 into 400 gives decent odds but the hand plays poorly postflop, so folding is the standard play.

86o is a weak hand, even 3-handed, and I'm first to act preflop. Folding avoids risking chips with a marginal holding.

Button folded, so it's SB vs BB heads-up; J9o is a solid raising hand in this spot with 100bb stacks. Raising to 3bb to take initiative rather than limping out of position.

Getting 200 to 1 on the call from the big blind is a good price against a small-blind raise, and 54 suited has enough playability to call in a three-way pot.

As the preflop raiser out of position on a low, dry-ish board, a small 1/3-pot c-bet with J9 high leverages fold equity cheaply; we have overcards as backup and little showdown value if checked down.

I have top pair of fives plus an open-ended straight draw (needs a 6 or an ace), so calling the 200 into an 800 pot is clearly profitable.

Jh9c has no pair, no flush draw on a three-diamond board with a 4 completing straights; continuing to barrel into a caller who called the flop is unlikely to work, so check and give up if facing a bet.

I hold a made straight (4-5-6 with 2-3 on board) and seat_2 checked the turn, so I bet about two-thirds pot for value while keeping their weaker holdings in.

Jh9c has no pair, no draw on a 5-2-3-6 board with three diamonds; facing a 700 bet into 1000 after my turn check, folding is clearly correct.

T5 suited on the button in a 3-handed game is a reasonable open-raise; it has playability with position and folds out worse hands from the blinds.

Calling the 200 chips to complete is a cheap price with a king-high hand in a three-way pot against a button open. Folding would give up a reasonable price, and raising with 3-K offsuit out of position is too speculative.

KJo is a playable hand getting 4:1 pot odds, closing the action preflop. Raising would bloat the pot out of position.

I have top pair with a king kicker on a paired board, which is medium strength against two opponents who may hold 8s. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids bloating it out of position.

Top pair with good kicker on a paired board with a flush draw; betting for value and to charge draws.

Td5d has whiffed the K-8-8 flop with only a backdoor flush draw; facing a 2/3-pot lead from the big blind with another player behind, folding is clearly correct.

I hold kings and eights (two pair) on a K-8-8 board, which is strong enough to call the 500 raise and continue, but not strong enough to justify a bigger bet into a possible full house.

I have a pair of kings with a king kicker on a paired board facing a flop raiser, so checking keeps the pot controlled and avoids bloating it with a marginal hand.

We have top pair with a good kicker on a paired board with a flush draw. Betting for value and to charge draws.

I hold two pair, kings and eights, which is strong against a turn bet of 1100 into a 2850 pot. Calling keeps me in with a good hand without bloating the pot against a possible set or overpair.

I hold a pair of kings on a paired board facing an aggressive opponent who has shown strength on the turn, so checking keeps the pot controlled and avoids bloating it with a marginal hand.

The river completes the flush draw and we only have two pair. Given the opponent's passive line, they could have a flush or trips often. Checking behind avoids value-owning ourselves and prevents a check-raise.

Calling the 100-chip completion is cheap with 2-3 offsuit in a three-way pot with the button, and the price is good enough to see a flop. Folding is also defensible, but the cost is small.

Ad3o is a weak, offsuit hand with poor postflop playability, especially from the small blind facing two opponents who have already entered the pot. Folding avoids putting more chips at risk with little equity.

Button limped and SB folded; 5s3s is a weak hand but suited and I get to see a flop for free in position-disadvantaged spot. Checking is standard; raising a limper with this holding has little fold equity value and poor playability out of position.

I hold a weak spade flush draw (5s3s) on a KQJ board that hits the limper's range hard; checking keeps the pot small and lets me realize my draw cheaply or see a free turn.

Holding 2c3d on a Kc Qs Js flop with no bet to call, checking is free and keeps the pot small with a weak hand; I can see the action and can't raise profitably without a real hand.

Holding a spade flush draw on a paired KQJ board after the button checked back the flop, a small semi-bluff bet should fold out weak hands often and keeps equity when called.

I hold 2-3 offsuit with no pair against a board of K-Q-J-J, and facing a 150 turn raise there is no good price to continue, so folding is the disciplined play.