Hold'em table

On the button in a 3-handed game, Q7o is worth an open-raise to apply pressure and take the initiative rather than just call and play a weak hand passively.

8-high offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against an early 2.5bb open in a three-handed game.

AA is the best starting hand in poker. Seat 1 opened with a raise to 250, and I'm in the big blind facing 150 to call. A strong 3-bet to 800 builds the pot while defining hand strength and taking control of the action. This is a standard play with pocket aces.

Q7o is too weak to continue against a big blind 3-bet, especially with the small blind already folded and little fold equity remaining. Folding avoids playing a dominated offsuit hand out of position for 550 more.

A suited AJ is a strong button opening hand three-handed. Raising to 3bb builds value while applying pressure to the blinds.

A7o is a marginal hand against a 3x raise from the button, especially out of position. Folding is prudent to preserve chips and avoid playing a weak hand in a difficult spot.

A7s has enough equity and pot odds to defend the big blind against a button open, and calling keeps the pot manageable out of position.

I have A-high with only a gutshot on a very coordinated board and am out of position against the preflop raiser. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids putting chips in as a likely underdog.

Betting for value and protection with top pair plus an ace-high straight draw on this coordinated board. A moderate sizing targets weaker pairs and draws while limiting exposure to a check-raise.

Ad3s is a strong hand with ace-high; raising from the button builds the pot and applies pressure on the blinds, giving me positional advantage postflop.

8-high offsuit is too weak to defend profitably against a 3bb button open from the big blind.

K6o is marginal but playable on the button in a 3-handed game; calling 100 to see a flop with position keeps the pot small and avoids overcommitting with a weak offsuit hand.

KQs is a strong multiway hand; raising from the small blind isolates the limper and builds initiative.

JJ is a premium hand with strong equity. Seat_2's raise to 400 (3.5x BB) is moderate aggression, and I can profitably 3-bet to build the pot and apply pressure. A raise to 1100 is aggressive but reasonable, giving me fold equity while being prepared to commit further if called.

K6o is too weak to continue against a raise and a reraise, especially with only 100 chips already invested. Folding avoids playing a dominated hand out of position.

KQs is strong enough to continue against the small blind-versus-big-blind 3-bet sizing. Calling retains dominated broadways while avoiding an unnecessarily inflated pot out of position.

Check with the king-high flush draw and overcard potential in this inflated pot, preserving flexibility against the preflop aggressor.

I have pocket jacks with one jack on the board (JhJs on Jd6h4d), giving me a strong set. Seat 2 checked on the flop, indicating weakness after the preflop aggression, so I should bet for value and protection against drawing hands.

K-high with a queen-high flush draw has insufficient immediate equity versus this pot-sized bet, and the remaining stacks do not provide favorable implied odds.

J2 offsuit is a weak button opening hand in this short 100bb configuration, so I fold rather than invest against both blinds.

2-Qo is a weak hand out of position after posting small blind. Folding saves chips rather than investing more in a marginal situation against a big blind raise.

7-3 offsuit is the weakest hand in poker. With 100 chips to call from the button in a 3-player game, folding is the mathematically sound decision despite reasonable pot odds, as this hand has poor equity against most ranges.

A9o is strong enough to raise heads-up against the big blind after the button folded, applying pressure and taking initiative. A raise to 250 is a standard size that can fold out weaker hands and get value from worse aces.

Q5 offsuit has sufficient heads-up equity and pot odds to defend the big blind against this small blind raise.

With middle pair but no club on an ace-high monotone board, checking back controls the pot and preserves showdown value against the preflop raiser.

The board has four clubs and I hold no club, so my top pair is vulnerable to any flush. Checking controls the pot and avoids putting chips in against a likely made flush.

I have a pair of queens and villain has checked twice on this very coordinated board. A small value/protection bet can be called by weaker pairs while limiting losses against flushes or stronger aces.

The board has four clubs and I hold no club, so any club in opponent's hand makes a flush that beats my pair of aces. Facing a turn raise, folding is the safe play.