Hold'em table

On the button in a three-handed game, this suited hand is playable as a small opening raise, with position after the flop.

K9 offsuit has enough high-card value and price to defend against a small button open, especially with the big blind still in.

Getting 5.4:1 in the big blind with JTo against a button open and an SB flat, calling is clearly profitable and a squeeze isn't needed.

K-high has little showdown value and poor multiway bluffing prospects on this connected two-heart flop. Checking preserves equity without inflating the pot.

JT high with no draw on a low connected board that favors the preflop raiser and callers' small pairs/wheel draws; checking to the button's likely c-bet is best, and a fold is fine if the pressure is heavy.

Middle pair has some showdown value, but it is weak in a three-way pot. Checking controls the pot and avoids building it against stronger hands.

With only king-high on a three-heart board and two opponents, checking preserves equity and avoids bluffing into likely continuing ranges.

J-high with no heart and no straight draw has little equity. Bluffing into two opponents on a three-heart board has poor fold equity, so I'll take the free card.

Bottom pair with no heart has little value to bet into two opponents on this coordinated turn. Checking controls the pot and preserves the chance to reach showdown.

With only king-high in a three-way pot, a river bluff on the four-flush board is unlikely to get enough better hands to fold. Checking preserves our modest showdown value.

J-high has almost no showdown value, and both opponents look capped after two checked streets, so a modest bluff that represents a heart or straight can fold out small pairs and ace-high.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker is unlikely to beat a river bet on this board, especially with another player still to act.

King-high has no showdown value on this coordinated river, and the delayed bet after checks is not a profitable bluff-catching spot.

JTs suited is a strong button opening hand in three-handed play. I raise to build the pot with a hand that plays well postflop and apply pressure to the blinds.

A5s-offsuit style hand from the SB facing a button open in 3-handed play; A5o has a blocker and some equity, so a 3-bet to 10bb works as a semi-bluff and avoids playing out of position as a flat.

Nine-eight offsuit is too weak to call a large three-bet out of position, especially with the original raiser still to act.

TJs suited is a strong, playable button opening hand with position in a heads-up 3-bet pot. Calling preserves its equity and avoids turning it into a bluff against a large 3-bet.

As the preflop 3-bettor, I hold second pair with an ace kicker on a low, draw-heavy board. A small c-bet gets value from worse hands and denies equity to overcards and flush draws.

In position, TJs has two live overcards and some backdoor diamond potential against a small continuation bet. Calling preserves flexibility on favorable turns.

A5 with only bottom pair and no spade is weak on a three-flush turn after the button called our flop c-bet. Checking controls the pot, keeps some showdown value, and avoids bloating the pot against a range that often contains flushes or better pairs.

The turn spade is a strong scare card after villain checks, while our hand has little showdown value. A substantial bet can fold out many one-pair flop continuations without risking an excessive amount.

Pairing the 5 is weak against a turn bet on a three-spade board after villain called the 3-bet and the flop bet. Villain's range here is mostly flushes, overpairs and Qx, and I would face more river pressure, so the 27% pot odds aren't enough.

Pocket nines on the button are a clear open-raise in a 3-handed game, so I'm opening to 2.5bb for value and position.

8-7 offsuit is a marginal defend against a button raise, especially from the small blind with the big blind still to act.

Pocket threes are strong enough heads-up versus a button open and benefit from denying overcard equity. I 3-bet to a standard sizing for value and initiative.

99 on the button facing a BB 3-bet to 8bb has solid equity against a blind-vs-button 3-betting range. Calling 550 into 1100 with position and set-mining potential is better than 4-betting, which would fold out worse hands and get called by better ones.

Check this medium-strength underpair on a low connected board, keeping the pot controlled while allowing the opponent to bluff or reveal their sizing.

99 is likely ahead of the many unpaired Broadway hands in the BB's 3-bet range on this low, dry board. A small third-pot bet in position denies their overcard equity and gets value from weaker pairs and draws, while keeping the pot manageable against overpairs.

Our pocket threes are a plausible best hand against a button caller's wide range and modest flop stab. Calling keeps weaker hands and bluffs in while controlling the pot.

With a weak underpair on a Q-high turn after calling the flop, checking is preferable to building the pot against the button's continuing range.

The Queen is a bad card for 99 against a 3-bet range that includes QQ and AQ. Checking back keeps the pot controlled and still lets us win at showdown against hands like AK or JJ/TT that might fold to a bet.

Pocket threes have some showdown value after the opponent checked the turn, but a river bet is unlikely to get better hands to fold and would mostly be called by hands that beat us.

Pocket nines have showdown value, but few worse hands in a 3-bettor's check-calling range would pay off a river bet. Checking back realizes that equity without getting raised off the hand.

A3 offsuit is strong enough to open from the button three-handed, and a 2.5-big-blind raise keeps the sizing efficient.

KTo is a reasonable defend from the small blind versus a button min-raise, especially with the big blind still to act and deep stacks.

Getting 4:1 from the big blind, K6o has enough equity to call despite being multiway and out of position.

I will bet for value and protection with top pair on this coordinated three-way flop, charging weaker kings, jacks, and drawing hands.

Top pair with a weak kicker facing a two-thirds-pot lead from the SB into two players, with the preflop raiser still to act behind. Calling at these pot odds keeps the pot controlled and avoids bloating it against better kings.

Ace-high has little chance to improve on this flop. Facing a bet and a call from two opponents, folding is better than continuing.

Top pair with an open-ended straight draw is strong enough to value-bet while charging club draws and weaker one-pair hands.

Top pair with a weak kicker is getting about 29% pot odds. It is still ahead of the draws and Jx in the SB's betting range, so calling beats both raising and folding.

Our pair of kings has modest showdown value but the caller's line can contain many flushes and stronger made hands. Checking avoids value-owning ourselves while preserving showdown.

I have second pair, king, with a weak kicker, and the ace on the river beats it. Villain barreled flop and turn and then checked, so a bet gets called only by better hands. Checking takes the free showdown.

QJ suited is a strong button opening hand three-handed, and raising applies pressure while building a pot in position.

23 offsuit is too weak to continue out of position from the small blind against a button open with the big blind still to act.

6-3 offsuit is too weak to defend out of position against a three-big-blind raise.

On the button in 3-handed play, 96o is a reasonable steal candidate: a 2.5bb open profits from blind folds and plays fine in position when called.

Q7 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

Qs4s has enough suited equity and playability to defend the big blind against a button min-raise at this price.

Checking keeps the pot controlled with bottom pair against the preflop raiser while allowing us to react to their continuation bet.

On a dry 247 rainbow board I have a gutshot plus a backdoor straight draw and some overcard equity, and the board favors the preflop raiser. A small c-bet of about 36% pot takes the pot often and keeps the price cheap.

Call with bottom pair and an overcard in a heads-up pot against a small continuation bet. Folding would be too tight given the price and potential to improve.

With a weak pair of fours on this coordinated board, checking keeps the pot controlled and allows us to evaluate the opponent's turn action.

The ten is a good turn card for my preflop-raiser range, and the opponent's check-call range contains many weak pairs that may fold to a second barrel. My gutshot to an 8 gives me backup equity when called.

Bottom pair has too little equity against the button's continued turn barrel on this board. Folding preserves chips rather than calling with likely only two clean outs.