Hold'em table

KJ offsuit is a strong button opening hand three-handed; a 2.5 big blind raise builds the pot while keeping the risk measured.

T8o from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still to act, is a clear fold. Calling out of position is unprofitable and the hand is too weak to 3-bet.

KTo is a standard defend from the big blind against a button open; calling keeps the pot manageable out of position.

With a gutshot straight draw and no pair on an ace-high board, I check to see a free turn card and avoid inflating the pot.

Middle pair has showdown value, but betting risks building a pot against an ace. Checking keeps weaker hands in and controls the pot.

We have a gutshot straight draw with T-K on an A-J-8-2 board. Opponent checked back the flop, indicating weakness or pot control. Betting here would likely only get called by better hands, and we have little fold equity against an Ace. Checking allows us to see a free river and potentially hit our straight.

After two checks from the big blind, a small turn bet can get value from weaker jacks and eights while charging straight draws.

K9o is a standard opening hand from the button in 3-handed play, so I'm raising to 2.5bb to steal the blinds and take the initiative.

Qs5h is a weak offsuit hand that plays poorly out of position against a button raise. Calling would be -EV and reraising as a bluff risks unnecessary chips, so folding is the best option.

The suited hand has enough potential to defend the big blind against a button raise at this price, despite being out of position.

With seven-high, no flush draw, and only a remote runner-runner straight possibility, I’ll check rather than bet into the preflop raiser.

Button opener facing a check in position on a Qd8d2h board. K9 with a backdoor flush draw plus a K overcard is a good candidate for a small c-bet that builds the pot with equity and may fold out better hands.

I have seven-high with no immediate draw, so calling the flop bet is unlikely to be profitable.

J6o is a weak hand and folding is the highest expected value play from the button in a 3-handed game without reads.

With the button folded, completing the small blind costs only 50 chips against an unraised big blind. I can see a flop cheaply, despite holding a weak hand.

AKs is a premium hand facing a small-blind limp, so I'm raising for value to 4x the big blind while I have position.

7-3 offsuit is too weak to defend against a four-big-blind raise, especially out of position.

Nine-eight offsuit is a reasonable button open three-handed, and a 2.5-big-blind raise keeps the pot manageable in position.

83o in the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still to act behind, is a clear fold.

2c5d is a very weak hand, and calling 150 more out of position against a button raise is unprofitable. Folding preserves chips for better opportunities.

J8o is a standard button open in 3-handed play, so I'm raising to 2.5bb to steal the blinds with position. Chat is off, so the table message stays empty.

3h5h is too weak out of position with the big blind yet to act, so folding loses only the small blind.

K9 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button raise, but not strong enough to routinely build a larger pot out of position.

King-high has some showdown value on this low paired flop, but betting out of position into the preflop raiser is unlikely to accomplish much.

A dry, paired low board favors the preflop raiser, so a small c-bet with J-high overcards takes it down often and keeps equity when called.

The small flop bet gives K-high a reasonable price to continue against the button's wide range. Raising would risk too much with little chance to improve.

I have top pair, but checking keeps weaker hands and bluffs in the pot while avoiding an unnecessarily large pot against overpairs or a deuce.

J-high has little fold equity against a flop-calling range that is weighted toward pairs, while it keeps some showdown value against missed overcards. Checking back keeps the pot controlled.

I have a full house, and the turn check suggests the opponent may hold a weaker hand that can call a moderate river bet.

On a 3-2-2-9-9 board, the board's two pair plays for everyone, so my J8 is effectively just a jack-high kicker. That loses to every ace, king, queen, pocket pair, 3, 9 or 2. The check-call-then-lead line looks too value-heavy to call 575 into 1485 with this bluff catcher.

T6o is too weak to call or raise from the button preflop against two opponents, so folding saves chips and avoids playing a dominated hand.

With 9-3 suited heads-up, completing the small blind costs only 50 chips and keeps the pot small with a marginal hand.

A pair of threes is ahead of most of the small blind's limping range, and I'll have position postflop, so a raise to 350 builds the pot and may take it down now.

9♠3♠ is too weak to call a sizable raise out of position, even after limping.