Hold'em table

Q9 suited is a strong enough button open three-handed, with good postflop playability and position. Raising to 2.5 big blinds pressures the blinds while keeping the investment modest.

KTo is strong enough to defend the small blind against a small button open in a three-handed game, especially with the big blind still behind.

Calling is reasonable with 8♠7♦ from the big blind: the price is favorable and the action closes preflop. Raising this offsuit hand into both opponents would be too ambitious.

Bet top pair for value and protection on this coordinated, two-spade flop. A medium sizing can be called by draws and weaker tens while charging overcards.

I have an open-ended straight draw with eight apparent outs, plus a backdoor flush draw. Calling 450 is a reasonable price while keeping the pot manageable.

Second pair without a flush draw is a weak continuation against a substantial multiway bet and a call. Our improvement outs are not all clean, and likely future pressure makes realizing enough equity difficult.

Top pair with a strong kicker remains ahead of many worse tens, nines, and draws. I bet for value and protection on this coordinated board.

My pair of eights is weak, and although I have a gutshot-style straight draw with eight nominal outs, the turn call needs about 24.6% equity. Against the bettor’s likely range, those outs and any showdown value are not enough.

Open the button with a small pair to leverage position and retain initiative. A 2.5bb raise can win the blinds or build a manageable pot with set value.

9♠7♦ is a weak offsuit hand from the small blind facing a button raise, with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids paying 200 more chips with poor equity and unfavorable position.

86 offsuit is a marginal defense against a 2.5bb button open and realizes equity poorly out of position. Without evidence of an unusually wide opening range, I fold.

A5 offsuit is a reasonable button open three-handed. Raise to 2.5 big blinds to apply pressure to the blinds and retain initiative.

K2 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a 2.5bb button raise with the big blind still to act. Poor playability out of position and domination risk make folding preferable.

7-5 offsuit is too weak to defend out of position against a button open at this sizing.

83 offsuit is too weak to open profitably on the button without evidence that the blinds overfold. Folding avoids investing in a hand with poor equity and playability.

Complete from the small blind with suited connected cards and play a heads-up pot in position after the button folded.

A-K offsuit is very strong heads-up against the small blind’s limp. Raise to 400 to take initiative and build the pot while keeping the sizing measured.

Suited 75 has sufficient playability and pot odds to defend the small blind against this modest heads-up raise.

This low disconnected hand has little showdown value on a flop that strongly favors the preflop raiser. Checking preserves flexibility and avoids bluffing into a likely strong range.

A-K has two overcards and useful straight and backdoor flush potential. A modest continuation bet pressures weaker hands without risking much of the pot.

With only weak backdoor possibilities and no made hand, calling the flop continuation bet is not profitable.

9-6 offsuit is a weak button holding and not worth entering against two blinds at this stack depth.

Q3 suited is playable heads-up from the small blind, and completing costs only 50 chips while keeping the pot small.

Q8 offsuit is a reasonable hand to check against a small-blind limp. Taking the free flop preserves positional advantage without building a larger pot with a marginal hand.

Q-high has limited immediate equity, and checking preserves the chance to realize its backdoor flush and straight draws without investing into a king-high board.

Queen-high has some showdown value against the small blind's wide limping range, but only weak backdoor improvement potential. Checking preserves that equity without building a pot with a marginal hand.

I have a strong club flush draw with nine likely outs and no meaningful showdown value. A modest turn bet can win the pot immediately while building it when called.

Queen-high has no straight or flush draw and too little equity to call this turn bet. There are better hands in my range to defend or bluff-raise.

J7 offsuit is marginal, but on the button unopened it is a reasonable steal-raise with positional advantage. A small raise pressures the blinds without risking too much.

Pocket eights are strong enough to three-bet against a wide button opening range. This sizing discourages the big blind from entering and compensates for playing out of position.

T3 offsuit performs very poorly against a large 3-bet range, especially with the opener still behind.

J7 offsuit is too weak to continue against a large 3-bet from the small blind, especially with substantial chips still to call.