Hold'em table

Open-raising the button with 8-7 offsuit applies pressure to the blinds and retains playability when called.

5s Th is a weak offsuit hand out of position against a preflop raise, so folding conserves chips rather than chasing a marginal spot.

Getting 150 to win 400 in the big blind with a pocket pair against a button open, and 100bb deep there are good implied odds for set mining. Calling is better than 3-betting a hand that plays poorly when it doesn't improve.

Small pair on an ace-high, two-tone board that hits the button's range hard; I'll check to the raiser and keep the pot small, then play for showdown value or fold to heavy pressure.

As the preflop raiser, a small continuation bet on this ace-high board applies pressure to missed blind defenses while risking relatively little.

The small c-bet gives 3.75:1 odds (only about 21% equity needed), and the button's range is wide. My 33 has some showdown value against air plus set outs, so I'll call rather than overfold.

Pocket threes on a very coordinated A-K-T board with a heart draw are just a bluff catcher at best, and villain's range crushes us. Checking keeps the pot small and lets us fold to meaningful pressure.

We have no made hand or meaningful direct draw on this coordinated board, and the flop caller is likely to continue with many stronger holdings. Checking preserves equity and avoids betting into a likely made ace, king, or heart draw.

Pocket threes on a high, connected board have little showdown value, and a bluff is unlikely to fold out the Ax or Kx hands that often check back the turn. Checking lets me realize whatever equity I have against missed draws and air.

With eight-high on a four-heart, high-card board after the opponent called the flop, this hand has essentially no showdown value and is not a credible value bet. Checking avoids risking chips in a poor bluff spot.

Raising from the button with a playable hand to apply pressure and take initiative preflop. JTo is strong enough to open in a 3-handed game.

96o from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still to act, is a clear fold because the hand plays poorly out of position.

K5 offsuit is too weak to defend profitably against a button open at this stack depth, especially out of position.

On the button three-handed, the opening range is wide, and 65o has enough playability to open for a small raise and try to take the blinds.

A7 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button open with the big blind still behind, especially out of position.

Calling 150 is cheap relative to the 400 pot, and K2o has enough equity against a wide button opening range to defend the big blind rather than forfeit it.

I have only King-high with no real draw on this flop, so I check to see the turn cheaply and avoid building a pot with a weak hand.

Bottom pair plus a gutshot (a 3 or 7 makes a straight) on a board that favors the preflop raiser. A small c-bet of about a third of the pot gets folds from better high cards and protects my equity.

King-high with no draw is too weak to continue against a preflop raiser's flop bet, and the pot odds do not justify calling.

Q8 suited is a profitable button opening hand in three-handed play. Raising applies pressure to the blinds while retaining positional advantage.

J9s is playable and I am getting good pot odds to call the small raise, so I continue with position and a suited hand.

T2o plays poorly out of position in a multiway pot, and realizing its equity would be hard despite getting 4:1. Folding is the disciplined choice.

We have no made hand and only backdoor diamond/straight potential; the A-K flop favors the preflop raiser, so I check to keep the pot small and see what develops.

A small continuation bet leverages the strong ace-high board that favors the preflop raiser and can fold out many unpaired hands. Our backdoor spade and straight possibilities provide a little equity when called.

I have jack-high with only backdoor draws on an ace-king board, and calling 200 into 800 does not give me enough equity. Folding preserves my stack for better spots.

On the button with Q7o, I raise to steal the blinds and take initiative with position.

Q7o is out of position from the small blind against a button min-raise, and the big blind is still to act behind me. Folding is the standard play; a call would be marginal and a 3-bet is too loose.

9-5 offsuit is too weak to defend against a button raise; folding preserves chips.

K5 suited is a standard open from the button in 3-handed play. A 2.5bb raise pressures both blinds and gives me position after the flop.

Q8 suited is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button open with the big blind still behind.

We have a suited ace and are getting good pot odds (400:150) to call and see a flop. With position to act postflop and deep stacks, calling preserves flexibility against the button's raise.

I have bottom pair with a weak kicker on a king-high board, so I prefer to check and see how the preflop raiser reacts before investing more chips.

Top pair with a weak kicker on a dry K93 rainbow board. A small c-bet gets value from worse kings, nines and draws, and denies equity while keeping the pot controlled.)

We have bottom pair with an ace kicker and are getting good pot odds to call this small continuation bet. Folding seems too weak, while raising risks too much against a likely king or overpair.

Checking to control the pot with two pair on a paired board, since the opponent showed strength on the flop and could have trips or better. I can still call a reasonable bet on the river if needed.

Top pair with a weak kicker on a paired board, checked to me in position. A medium value bet gets calls from 9x, weaker Kx and 3x, and denies equity to hands like QJ and JT. Checking back is also fine, but betting is slightly better for value. If I get raised, I can fold, since that usually means trips or better.