Hold'em table

K4o is slightly too weak to open profitably from the button even in 3-handed play.

A♠T♠ is a strong heads-up hand against the big blind, so raising builds value and takes the initiative.

54 offsuit is far too weak to call 200 more against a 3x raise; the pot odds barely reach break-even raw equity, and the hand is dominated too often with poor post-flop playability. Folding is the clear +EV choice.

On the button, T7 offsuit is playable, and a small open can win the blinds while preserving position if called.

T9o is playable 3-handed against a wide button open at a decent price, but it's too weak to 3-bet out of position with the big blind still to act. I'll flat, keep the pot small, and play fit-or-fold postflop.

Holding 32o out of position against a raise and a call is an easy fold with virtually no playability or equity.

I flopped top pair (nines) on a dry board heads-up against the preflop raiser. Betting about half pot builds the pot for value and denies a free card to hands like 8x or overcards.

I have an open-ended straight draw with eight likely outs, and the call price is reasonable. Calling keeps the pot manageable while I see the turn.

I have no made hand, but the 8-9-T-7 board gives me an open-ended straight draw. I’ll take the free river card rather than risk a bet.

I have only ten-high and am unlikely to win at showdown. The ace on the turn is a credible scare card, so I’ll make a substantial river bluff to pressure weak pairs and missed draws.

7-2 offsuit is the worst starting hand in hold'em, and with two players still to act behind me in position I have no incentive to invest. Folding preserves my stack for a spot with real equity.

Opening with a pocket pair blind-versus-blind to take initiative and build the pot against the big blind.

Q6 offsuit is weak, but the big blind is getting a favorable price against a small-blind raise heads-up. Calling is preferable to folding, while a 3-bet would be too ambitious.

I have a weak underpair on a coordinated board that connects well with the big blind's calling range, so checking to control the pot is prudent.

I have a weak pair with modest showdown value on a coordinated, two-heart board. Checking in position avoids building a pot against stronger hands while keeping my options open on later streets.

We hold an underpair with a gutshot straight draw; checking out of position to control the pot and potentially see a free river is optimal.

My pair of sixes has modest showdown value, and betting is unlikely to get called by worse hands or fold better ones. I'll take the free river.

Our pair of threes is counterfeited by the board pair of fours with higher kickers, giving us minimal showdown value, but checking allows us to fold cheaply to a bet or chop against a weaker holding.

My pair of sixes is a modest showdown hand on this board. A value bet is unlikely to get called by many worse hands, so I’ll take the free showdown.

Open-raising on the button with an Ace blocker to apply pressure on the blinds.

The small additional price and suited hand give enough potential to continue against a button min-raise, despite being out of position.

King-ten offsuit is a playable hand facing a small 2x raise with 6:1 pot odds closing the action preflop. Calling keeps the pot small with a hand that flops reasonably well without committing extra chips.

With bottom pair and no heart on a three-heart flop, I have little value or protection to gain in a three-way pot. I’ll check and avoid building the pot.

I have top pair with a low kicker and a small flush draw in a multiway pot; checking behind controls the pot size and realizes my equity in position.

I have two pair, but the four-heart board makes a flush very possible and leaves little room for safe value betting. I’ll check and keep the pot small.

I hold the Kh, which with the four hearts on board gives me the unbeatable nut flush (A-K-8-6-4). Betting pot-size on the turn extracts maximum value from any lower flush or strong made hand before the river.

On a four-flush board, our 2h gives us the lowest possible flush. Seat 3 potted into two players after checking the flop, heavily representing a higher heart with Seat 2 still to act behind.

The fourth heart completes the flush, and the turn bet into two players strongly represents a heart. My two pair has little equity against that range, so I fold rather than pay 600 to continue.

J9 offsuit is a reasonable button open three-handed. Raise to 250 to apply pressure to the blinds while keeping the sizing modest.

6-8 offsuit is far too weak to defend the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still to act and me out of position. Folding is clearly the best play.

7h 4d is an unplayable offsuit rag hand not worth defending against a button raise.

On the button against two blinds with 98o, a standard 3x isolation raise leverages fold equity and position; calling keeps marginal offsuit strength but raising wins more pots uncontested.

Holding 92o in the small blind against a button open is an easy fold out of position.

K7 offsuit is a marginal defend, but the button’s range can be wide and the price is reasonable given the pot odds. I’ll call rather than inflate the pot out of position.

K-high has no pair or meaningful draw on this ace-high, two-diamond flop. I’ll check rather than bluff into the preflop raiser.

I flopped middle pair on the button against a BB caller who checked, so a standard continuation bet of about half pot targets worse pairs and draws while retaining position for later streets.

K-high has no meaningful draw on this ace-high flop, and calling the sizable bet would require too much equity.