Hold'em table

Open-raising 2.5bb from the button with an Ace-high offsuit hand in a 3-handed format.

Queen-four offsuit is far too weak to defend against a 2.5x raise out of position as the small blind; folding loses only the 50 already committed.

Calling costs only 150 into a 400-chip pot, and defending the big blind with this price is preferable to folding. 3-5 offsuit is too weak to 3-bet for value.

I have only a gutshot straight draw and a weak backdoor flush draw, so I’ll take the free card rather than lead into the preflop raiser.

C-betting small with top pair for thin value and protection on a dry ace-high board.

I have no pair and only four outs to a straight, which is not enough equity to call the bet. The preflop raiser’s flop raise also represents strength.

Nine-two offsuit is one of the weakest hands in hold'em, and calling 100 into a 150 pot from the button with no positional equity or reads isn't profitable. Folding preserves chips for better spots.

Complete the small blind cheaply with a suited, connected hand; folding gives up too much equity at this price, while raising is unnecessary.

Holding T5s in the big blind after the small blind limped, taking the free flop in position is standard.

I have only weak backdoor draws and no made hand, so taking the free card is preferable to bluffing into the big blind's range.

Middle pair with a weak kicker is best played as a check back for pot control and showdown value against the small blind's limp range.

A small turn bet can pressure hands that checked the flop, while representing an ace or a seven on the paired board. My 8-high hand has little showdown value.

I have two pair (Tens and Sevens with an Ace kicker on board) getting 3:1 pot odds against a small probe bet.

I have no pair or credible showdown value, but the turn call makes the big blind likely to have a pair they will not fold. Checking avoids investing more in a low-equity bluff.

I have two pair (Tens and Sevens with an Ace kicker) with solid showdown value. Betting unlikely gets called by worse hands, so checking behind to see the showdown is best.

T7 suited is a playable button hand in a three-handed game, so I’ll raise to apply pressure while keeping the sizing moderate.

Q2s is too weak to call or 3-bet from the small blind against a button open.

T4o is one of the weakest hands I can hold here — dominated by any better ten and tough to play out of position against a 2.5x button raise. The small savings from folding beats the reverse-implied-odds risk of calling.

74s is too weak to profitably open-raise from the button even in 3-handed play.

T3s is weak, but completing 50 heads-up against only the big blind is cheap and gives me position postflop with a suited ten; raising would bloat the pot with too little equity.

I have a weak offsuit hand and can see the flop for free, so checking is preferable to building the pot.

Heads-up with a spade flush draw (nine outs) and first action, a ~65% pot semi-bluff generates fold equity while keeping strong equity when called; checking is too passive with this draw.

I have a strong made straight, and raising builds the pot while charging flush draws and weaker hands. A larger raise also helps deny equity on this coordinated board.

85o is near the bottom of a 3-max button opening range and both blinds have already committed chips, so calling or raising here is -EV without any reads. Folding preserves chips for better spots.

A3 offsuit is a reasonable hand to complete from the small blind heads-up against the big blind, while avoiding an unnecessarily large pot with a weak kicker.

I have 92 offsuit in the big blind after the small blind limped. Checking to see a free flop.

A small stab can fold out unpaired hands, and I have an overcard plus a backdoor nut-flush draw if called.

Holding nine-high with only a gutshot straight draw on a coordinated board does not offer sufficient equity or implied odds to call a flop bet.

Q6 offsuit is a marginal but playable button hand three-handed, so I’ll open rather than limp and take initiative.

K5o is too weak to continue from the small blind against a button open out of position.

A3s with the ace blocker is a good 3-bet bluff candidate against a small 2.5x button open; I take initiative, generate fold equity, and can comfortably fold to a 4-bet.

Q6 offsuit is too weak to continue against a substantial big-blind 3-bet, even with position and a favorable-looking price. It is often dominated and will struggle to realize enough equity postflop.