Hold'em table

On the button in a three-handed pot, 8-7 offsuit is playable as an open. A 2.5-big-blind raise gives me a chance to win the blinds while retaining position if called.

T5o is too weak to continue against a button raise from the small blind, especially with the big blind still to act behind me. Folding avoids playing a dominated, out-of-position hand.

Getting attractive pot odds (150 to win 400) with a pocket pair closing the action preflop against a wide button opening range.

Check to the preflop aggressor with an underpair on an Ace-high board.

A small continuation bet uses my preflop range advantage on the ace-high flop and can fold out missed hands without risking much.

Holding an underpair on an Ace-high flop facing a continuation bet gives us negligible equity, making an easy fold.

With JTo on the button in a 3-handed game, raising is a standard aggressive play to take the initiative and possibly win the blinds. It also builds a pot with position when called.

96 offsuit is far too weak to defend from the small blind against a button open.

K5 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a button open at this price, though it is too weak to value-raise.

King-high has little immediate value on this paired, connected flop. Checking avoids building a pot out of position with a weak hand.

I flopped trips with Js on a Q-J-J board. Betting 500 into 650 for value and to charge flush/straight draws.

King-high has little chance of improving on this paired board, and the 500-chip bet is too large to call profitably.

Holding 65 offsuit on the button is below the threshold for an open in 3-handed play, making an easy fold.

A7 offsuit is strong enough to raise against the big blind after the button folds. Raising to 300 pressures the blind and builds value.

Getting 2:1 pot odds with a king-high hand against a possible small-blind steal; calling closes the action and keeps the pot manageable out of position.

Ace-high has some showdown value, but this flop connects with the big blind's calling range. Checking avoids building a pot out of position with a weak hand.

I have only king-high on a coordinated board and no need to invest chips; checking controls the pot and lets me see a free turn card.

Ace-high has some showdown value, but little to gain from betting this paired turn out of position. I’ll check and reassess on the river.

Seat 1 checked both flop and turn, showing weakness; I'll bet to take down the pot with K-high and fold out better unpaired hands.

Ace-high has little chance to improve on this paired, two-flush-draw board. Calling the turn bet out of position is unlikely to be profitable.

Q8 suited is strong enough to open on the button three-handed. A 2.5-big-blind raise pressures the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

J9s has enough equity and playability against a button open to continue, and calling keeps the pot manageable while the big blind can still act.

T2o is unplayable multiway out of position even getting decent pot odds.

My Jd9d has little equity on an A-K-3 flop and the preflop raiser likely has a strong range, so I check and plan to fold to further aggression.

This dry A-K-3 flop favors my preflop raising range. A small continuation bet can fold out weaker hands while keeping the risk modest with queen-high.

I have only jack-high on an ace-king-high flop with no real draw, and calling 200 into 800 would require too much equity against a preflop raiser who continued on the flop.

Q7o is a marginal but playable button hand in 3-handed play; raising applies pressure on the blinds and uses position to take the initiative.

Q7o is far too weak to defend out of position against a button raise with the big blind still left to act.

9-5 offsuit is too weak to defend out of position against a 2.5-big-blind button raise.

King-five suited is well within a standard 3-handed button opening range, so raising 2.5x to build the pot and leverage position.

Q8 suited is strong enough to defend against a button raise, but not strong enough to build a large pot out of position.

Closing the action with 4:1 pot odds and a suited ace, calling is cheap and keeps the pot manageable out of position.

With no pair or immediate draw in a three-way pot, I prefer to check and avoid building the pot out of position.

Bottom pair with an ace kicker on a dry K-high flop; checking keeps the pot controlled and lets me see the button's action before committing more chips.

In a 3-way pot on a dry king-high board, top pair with a weak kicker plays well as a pot-controlling check in position.

With queen-high, no meaningful draw, and two opponents still in the hand, betting from first position is unlikely to be profitable.

I have two pair (nines and threes) with an ace kicker, and the flop checked through. Betting for value and protection against Kx and straight draws.

I have top pair Kings with paired board nines and position. Calling allows me to keep bluffs and weaker kings in while controlling the pot size against potential trips.

Queen-high has no meaningful draw on this paired board, and a turn bet followed by a call makes continuing unprofitable.

My pair of 3s has some showdown value but is weak against the button's preflop raise and turn call on a paired board; checking controls the pot and lets opponent bluff or check behind with worse.

I have two pair (Kings and Nines) with a weak kicker. Checking behind secures showdown value against missed draws without risking a check-raise from better Kings or trips.