Hold'em table

On the button, 7-6 offsuit is a marginal but playable open. A small raise uses position while limiting the risk.

A♠7♣ has enough equity to defend against a button open at this price, but calling avoids building a large pot out of position with a marginal hand.

Calling 125 into a 550 pot with A8o in the big blind gives excellent odds in a 3-way pot. A squeeze would get called too often by the small blind, who has already shown interest.

With only ace-high on a paired flop in a three-way pot, checking keeps the pot small and avoids bluffing into multiple opponents.

Ace-high with a backdoor nut flush draw has decent showdown value on this paired board, and checking to the preflop raiser in a multiway pot keeps our range protected. If the raiser c-bets small, we can continue.

A small bet protects my six against overcards and heart draws while keeping the pot manageable with a weak made hand.

The small bet offers favorable pot odds, and ace-high retains some showdown value against a continuation-bet bluff. I’ll call once while keeping the player behind me in mind.

Getting 6:1 on a small bet with ace-high and the nut backdoor heart draw, calling is clearly profitable on a paired board where many hands missed.

With only ace-high on a paired board and two opponents who called the flop bet, a turn bluff has little fold equity. Check and retain the chance to improve or reach showdown cheaply.

Ace-high with the nut flush draw in a three-way pot, and the flop bettor still acts behind. Checking takes a free card rather than betting into two opponents who both called the flop.

With a six on a paired-king board and two opponents having called the flop, a turn bet is unlikely to get enough value from worse hands. Checking keeps the pot manageable.

With only ace-high on a paired board and two opponents who called the flop bet, a river bluff is unlikely to be profitable. Check and take the showdown.

Ace-high has some showdown value in a checked-down pot. Bluffing into two players who both called the flop is unlikely to fold out Kx, even though the Ah blocks the nut flush.

My pair of sixes has some showdown value, but a river bet into two opponents is unlikely to be called by worse hands. Checking avoids turning it into an unnecessary bluff.

J4 offsuit is weak, but on the button I can see a flop cheaply with position and avoid inflating the pot.

Getting 5:1 on the completion (50 to win 250), so J4o has enough equity to see a flop. The big blind can still raise behind, and I'll be out of position, so I'll play cautiously postflop.

8-2 offsuit is too weak to raise for value, and checking lets me see the flop for free.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker, out of position in a three-way limped pot on a draw-heavy board. Checking controls the pot size and keeps some showdown value.

Eight-deuce has no pair or meaningful draw on this flop, so checking avoids investing more against two opponents.

I have a weak bottom pair in a multiway pot, so checking keeps the pot small and avoids building it against stronger hands.

Top two pair on a wet turn after the flop checked through; bet for value and to deny equity to flush and straight draws. Two-thirds pot builds the pot while charging the draws.

Eight-high has no meaningful draw on this turn, and calling 200 into a multiway pot is unlikely to be profitable.

I have two pair, which is strong enough to continue, but raising could isolate me against better two pair or sets. Calling keeps the pot manageable while allowing the opponent’s bluffs and weaker Jx to continue.

Jacks-up with a 4 kicker only beats weak pairs. The river completed the clubs and paired the 9s, and almost any Jx or 9x beats us. Checking controls the pot size.

I have a modest two-pair hand with a weak kicker, and the river completes the club flush draw. Checking preserves showdown value without risking a bet against stronger hands or getting called by better kickers.

Three-handed on the button, 86o sits at the edge of a wide opening range, and stealing the blinds with a standard 2.5bb open is profitable given positional advantage.

Nine-five offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

J5 offsuit is weak, but the button’s small open and favorable pot odds make defending the big blind reasonable heads-up.

Bottom pair has some showdown value but is vulnerable and does not need to build the pot. Check to let the preflop raiser act and keep the pot controlled.

Top two pair on a wet, draw-heavy board, so I bet about 73% of the pot for value and to charge flush and straight draws.}

This is a weak bottom pair with no meaningful draw on a wet, connected two-club board. Facing a sizable flop bet, calling risks too much against the button’s value and semi-bluff range.

KQs is a strong button opening hand, and a 2.5 big blind raise builds the pot while retaining position.

K♦2♠ is a weak offsuit hand out of position against a button raise, with the big blind still to act. The 200-chip call is not worthwhile.

Getting 400 to 150 in the big blind against a wide three-handed button open, Q5o has enough equity to defend by calling. It plays poorly enough out of position that a 3-bet isn't worthwhile.

Middle pair with a weak kicker, out of position against the preflop raiser on a board that favors the raiser's range. Checking controls the pot size and lets me play check-call against a continuation bet.

With two overcards but no backdoor flush draw, checking in position lets me realize equity without building a pot against the big blind's pairs.

The button checked back the flop, so its range is capped and holds many unpaired overcards. My pair of fives is often the best hand and is vulnerable to overcards on the river. A bet of about half the pot gets value and protection.

King-queen high has no draw and limited chance to improve against a turn bet on this board. Folding avoids investing more with little equity.

A small pocket pair is strong enough to open from the button, where I have position, and a modest raise can win the blinds or play a pot with initiative.

T6o from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still to act behind, is too weak to call out of position or to 3-bet profitably. Folding is standard here.

QTo is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button open, and calling keeps the pot manageable out of position.

Top pair with a moderate kicker is strong enough to continue, but checking out of position lets the preflop raiser act before I commit more chips.

With a small underpair on a Q-high two-heart flop, betting is unlikely to get better hands to fold and risks building the pot. I’ll take the free card and preserve showdown value.

Top pair is likely ahead after the flop checks through. A turn bet gets value from weaker pairs and charges flush draws.

A pair of threes is weak on this board and has little chance to improve on the river. The turn bet demands too much to call without a stronger read or draw.

42 offsuit is too weak to open from the button in a 3-handed game at 100bb against two blinds, so folding is standard.

With only 50 more to call heads-up, I’ll see a flop rather than raise this weak hand out of position.

Q7 offsuit is a weak hand; take the free flop rather than inflate the pot against the small blind's limp.

Bottom pair with a weak flush draw has some showdown value, but this ace-high monotone flop is a poor spot to build the pot out of position.

I have only queen-high with no spade on a highly coordinated monotone board. Checking takes the free card without risking chips with a weak bluff candidate.

Bottom pair with a weak flush draw has some showdown value, but betting out of position risks building a pot against stronger hands. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me see how the opponent responds.

I have only queen-high with no meaningful draw on an ace-high board. Checking keeps the pot small and gives me a chance to improve on the river.

Bottom pair has some showdown value, but a river bet is unlikely to get called by worse hands. Checking avoids risking more chips.

With only queen-high on a board offering several likely pair and draw combinations, a river bluff risks more than it gains; checking preserves showdown value against missed draws.