Hold'em table

As the button in a three-handed game, 8-7 offsuit is playable enough to open-raise and apply pressure to the blinds. A 2.5-big-blind raise is a standard sizing.

KJo has great blocker value and equity against a wide button opening range in 3-handed play. Three-betting allows us to take down dead money or take the betting lead out of position.

53 offsuit is nearly the worst holding and I face a 3-bet with 750 more to call; folding is clearly correct with no equity edge to continue.

The small blind’s 3-bet makes 8♥7♣ offsuit a poor call: it has weak equity and can be dominated, even with position and favorable pot odds.

Holding 73 offsuit on the button is too weak to open or call, making fold the clearly correct play.

Queen-six offsuit is too weak to play from the button against two blinds, especially out of position postflop. Folding preserves chips for better spots.

J9 offsuit is strong enough to complete the small blind against the big blind, and calling keeps the pot manageable while preserving the option to see a flop.

With 94o in the big blind facing a small blind completion, checking to see a free flop in position is standard.

I have an open-ended straight draw, but this connected flop can also favor the big blind. I’ll take the free card rather than risk a check-raise with a drawing hand.

I have middle pair with an open-ended straight draw; checking behind controls the pot size and takes a free turn card safely.

I have only jack-high with no meaningful draw, and the connected board can have helped the big blind. I’ll take the free card rather than bluff into that range.

The board has a four-card straight (3-4-5-6), giving any 7 or 2 a straight. Checking behind with a pair of fours keeps the pot small and lets us see the river safely.

The paired board gives me only a modest showdown hand with a J kicker. A bet is unlikely to get called by worse, so I’ll check and see the showdown.

I have two pair (sixes and fours), which has solid showdown value against missed high-card hands. Betting will only get called by better hands and fold out worse.

Q5 offsuit is too weak to open profitably from the button against two players, and calling would invite the blinds in with a dominated hand.

K8s is well ahead of an average holding in a blind vs blind situation; raising to 3bb allows me to take initiative and build the pot.

6d4h offsuit is one of the weakest hands in the deck and plays terribly out of position against a small-blind raise. Calling 200 more needs ~33% equity against a range that dominates me, so folding is clearly best.

Opening with pocket Queens from the button for standard value.

J3s is far too weak to call 200 more against a button raise with the big blind still to act; there is no profitable way to play this hand, so I fold and preserve my stack.

K8 offsuit is a reasonable big-blind defend against a button min-raise, and the call price is favorable. I’ll avoid inflating the pot with a marginal hand.

I have a reasonable showdown hand with a pair of eights, but this connected flop can hit the raiser’s range. I’ll check and keep the pot controlled.

We hold an overpair with the Queen of spades on a coordinated, draw-heavy board. Betting around two-thirds pot charges draws and extracts value from pairs.

I have top pair with a strong kicker and am getting favorable pot odds. Calling keeps weaker hands and draws in while avoiding a raise against a potentially stronger range on this connected, two-spade board.

I have a reasonable one-pair hand, but the connected board and flop raise make leading risky. I’ll check and let the preflop aggressor act.

Betting for value and protection against pair plus draw hands, flush draws, and weaker made pairs like 8x.

I have a reasonable bluff-catcher with top pair and a king kicker, and the pot odds justify continuing against possible bluffs and weaker pairs.

The river king gives me top two pair, which can get called by weaker king-x hands. I’m betting a modest amount for value while limiting exposure to a straight or set.

Getting over 3.5-to-1 pot odds on the river, our pocket queens serve as a strong bluff catcher against missed flush and straight draws that seat 1 may be turning into a bluff.

64 offsuit is far too weak to play even from the button in a 3-handed game; folding and saving 100 chips is clearly best.

T5 suited is playable heads-up from the small blind, and completing cheaply keeps the pot manageable while retaining decent postflop potential.

K6o is fine to take a free flop in position against the small blind's limp.

I have no made hand and only backdoor draws, so I check rather than build the pot with a weak bluff. This keeps the option to continue if I improve or face a small bet.

Top pair weak kicker on a draw-heavy flop; betting half-pot for thin value and protection against draws.

I have only ten-high with no pair or meaningful draw on a king-high board, so calling the flop bet is not worthwhile.