Hold'em table

K3 suited is strong enough to open on the button in a three-handed game. A 2.5 big-blind raise gives me a chance to win the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

J5o is too weak to defend out of position against a button open.

J6 suited is weak; facing a 2.5x button open, calling 150 out of position with a marginal hand is a small loss in expectation, so folding is the simple choice.

J2o is far too weak to open from the button even in 3-handed play. Standard fold.

Small blind with 43 suited needs only 50 more to call into a 150 pot, which is a good price heads-up against the big blind. Raising with a weak hand out of position is less appealing, so I will call and see a flop.

With 5-2 suited against a small-blind limp, I can see the flop for free. The hand is too weak to build a larger pot preflop.

I have an open-ended straight draw (4-3 with 6-7 on board needs a 5 and 8 or 5 and 2... actually 3-4-6-7 is a gutshot needing a 5) plus a backdoor flush draw, and I am out of position heads-up against a BB who checked preflop. A small bet with a draw is a reasonable semi-bluff. ?

The small flop bet gives me a reasonable price to continue in position with backdoor straight and flush possibilities. I can reassess on the turn.

I have 4d3d on a Th 6s 7c 6h board, which is just a gutshot-ish draw (a 5 makes 3-4-5-6-7) with no showdown value. Seat 1 called the flop, so I'll take the free card instead of bluffing into a likely pair or better.

I have a flush draw but no made hand. Checking takes the free river card without risking more chips.

My hand plays only the board's pair of sixes and beats almost nothing. The opponent called the flop and checked the turn, so a bluff is unlikely to work. I check and take a free showdown.

Five-high is unlikely to win at showdown. After the opponent checked both the turn and river, a bluff can fold out some weak one-pair hands.

I have only the board pair of sixes with no pair of my own, so I lose to any pair, straight, or better. Seat_1 bet about 7/8 pot after checking the turn, and my hand is too weak to call or bluff-raise.

On the button in a 3-handed game, 67 offsuit is playable and the price is only 1bb. Calling keeps the pot small, and I can still see a flop with decent position.

Pocket nines are strong three-handed. Raising from the small blind builds the pot and pressures the limper and big blind.

Q7 offsuit is too weak to continue against a 5bb raise from the small blind.

I'm on the button with 7-6 offsuit facing a small blind raise to 500, and calling 400 to win a 1100 pot needs about 27% equity. I have position and a connected hand, so a call is fine, and folding or 3-betting with a marginal hand is worse.

Pocket nines have showdown value, but this J-T-4 flop connects with the caller's range. Checking avoids building a large pot out of position.

I have an open-ended straight draw (6-7 on a 4-J-T board needs a 8 or 9... actually 6-7 with 4,T,J is only a weak gutshot-less draw), but the SB checked and I have position, so a small bet can take the pot with fold equity and I keep some backup equity from overcards-free outs. Betting about 55% of the pot is a reasonable stab.

Pocket nines can still beat a position bet from a preflop limper, and the price is reasonable. I’ll call and reassess on the turn.

Pocket nines have showdown value, but the jack-ten board favors many hands that called the flop. Checking keeps the pot manageable while leaving room to respond to a bet.

I have 6-7 on a J-T-4-2 board, which gives an open-ended straight draw (needs an 8 or 9 for 9-J straight... actually 8 gives 6-7-8-9-T needing 9; 6-7 with T-J needs 8 and 9 both). Seat_1 checked the turn after calling the flop, showing weakness. A bet of about half the pot as a semi-bluff can win now, and the gutshot outs give equity if called.

Pocket nines have little chance to improve when behind, and the second bet makes calling unattractive despite the possible draws.

KJo is a strong button opening hand in three-handed play. A 2.5 big blind raise puts pressure on the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

In 3-handed play, ATo is well ahead of a typical button opening range, so 3-betting to 900 builds the pot and denies equity to the big blind.

Q5 offsuit is a weak hand facing a button open and a small blind 3-bet, so calling 800 more out of position is not profitable. Folding is clearly best.

KJo is marginal against a small-blind three-bet, but the price and position make calling preferable to folding here.

I hit middle pair and a gutshot straight draw on a very connected, wet board where the caller's range connects strongly. Checking out of position to control the pot.

I have the nut straight on a draw-heavy flop. Betting builds the pot and charges flush draws and pair-plus-draw hands.

We hold second pair with top kicker and a gutshot to the nut straight, getting roughly 27% pot odds to call a flop bet.

Second pair with top kicker has decent showdown value and a gutshot draw; checking to control the pot size out of position.

I have the nut straight on a board with club draws and possible sets. Betting for value also charges hands that could improve on the river.

Holding only second pair with no flush draw and minimal redraws against a heavy turn bet on a highly connected board, our hand is not strong enough to continue.

T2o is well outside any reasonable 3-handed opening range on the button, making an easy fold.

T4 offsuit is a weak hand, and out of position against the big blind it plays poorly even at a discount. Calling 50 into a 150 pot is tempting, but the hand is a marginal loser over time, so I fold.

K2 offsuit is a weak hand out of position postflop against two opponents; folding on the button is a small loss, and the alternatives risk more chips with poor equity.

With the button folded, A6 offsuit is strong enough to raise heads-up against the big blind.

Holding K6o in the big blind against a small blind open gives us position postflop and good pot odds (200 to win 400) to defend.

Top pair can get value from weaker pairs and draws. A small bet offers protection without building a large pot with a weak kicker.

I have King-high with minimal equity and no direct draw on an Ace-high board facing a c-bet.