Hold'em table

On the button in a three-handed game, I’ll make a small open with K2 offsuit to pressure the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

Holding 5h 3c out of position against a button open is an easy fold due to very poor playability and equity.

Getting 350 to 100 (3.5-to-1) heads-up against a button open, so T5s is a profitable call even though it's a weak hand; a 3-bet with it would be poor.

Ten-high with a backdoor flush draw on Q-4-8 is weak. Checking to the button keeps the pot small and lets me see what he does.

A small continuation bet can win the pot against the big blind's missed hands while risking relatively few chips. King-high retains some equity when called.

Ten-high with a backdoor flush draw only, facing a 150 c-bet into 450 from the button. Pot odds are 4:1, but the hand has little equity, no real draw, and poor playability out of position, so folding is the disciplined choice.

T6s is on the borderline of a 3-handed button opening range, making folding a disciplined and low-variance play.

J8s in the small blind getting 2.5 to 1 pricing against a big blind in a 3-handed game is a profitable call. Raising would build a larger pot out of position with a marginal hand.

Pocket sevens are ahead of the small blind’s likely limping range. Raising to 400 builds value and makes it less attractive to see a cheap flop.

J8s out of position facing a 4x raise from the big blind, with the button already folded, is a marginal hand. Calling 300 more would leave me playing out of position with a weak, dominated holding, so I fold.

4c Jc is a weak offsuit-ish hand from the button in a 3-handed pot; folding is reasonable, though a raise would also be defensible. I'll avoid marginal spots out of position postflop against two opponents.

Calling 50 chips gives me a cheap chance to see a flop heads-up, though 8-4 offsuit is too weak to raise.

In position against the small blind's limp, A2o is fine to check through to see a free flop rather than bloating the pot with a weak kicker.

With no made hand and only a weak backdoor flush possibility, I’ll check rather than build the pot out of position.

I have Ace-high with decent showdown value in a limped blind-vs-blind pot, so checking back controls the pot and realizes equity.

I have little showdown value but no useful draw or blockers. Checking avoids committing chips to a bluff on a board the big blind can connect with.

We have Ace-high with reasonable showdown value in a limped blind-versus-blind pot that has been checked down to the turn. Checking back preserves pot control and realizes our equity.

Eight-high has almost no showdown value. After two streets of checks, a 150-chip river bluff can fold out enough unpaired hands to be worthwhile.

With only Ace-high on a coordinated board of Q-7-Q-K-J with three diamonds, we only beat pure air bluffs. Facing a 3/4 pot river bet, this is a clear fold.

T9 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed. A 2.5 big-blind raise applies pressure while preserving flexibility postflop.

Holding AKo in the small blind against a button open, raising for value and initiative is the standard play.

8-5 offsuit is a weak hand facing a button open and a small-blind 3-bet, and calling 900 more out of position is unprofitable, so I fold.

T9 offsuit is too weak to continue against a large three-bet without evidence that the small blind is bluffing frequently.

Q7 offsuit is too weak to open profitably from the button even in 3-handed play, making a disciplined fold the highest EV choice.

J5 suited in the small blind is getting 3-to-1 on a call of 50 into a 150 pot, heads-up against the big blind, so it has enough equity and price to see a flop. Raising with a weak hand would be marginal.

AQ suited is strong against a small-blind limp. Raising for value also lets me play the hand in position after the flop.

J5 suited is weak, and calling 350 more out of position against a 4.5x big blind raise is unprofitable, so I fold.

Q6 offsuit on the button in a 3-handed pot is marginal and easily dominated. Calling 100 into a 150 pot is close, but folding avoids playing a weak hand out of position against two players after the flop.

J5 suited is strong enough to defend heads-up for 50 more chips, but playing out of position favors calling over raising.

I have Q3s in the big blind facing a small blind limp. Taking a free flop in position is standard and profitable.

With jack-high, no immediate draw, and no position against the big blind, I’ll check rather than build the pot.

I have Queen-high with negligible equity on an Ace-high board, so taking a free card in position is standard.

A free river card is valuable with a gutshot, and this hand has little reason to build the pot on the turn.

We picked up a gutshot straight draw on the turn and can check behind in position to realize our equity for free.

After two checked streets, my pair of jacks can get value from tens and weaker pairs. A small river bet limits the risk on a board where the flush has arrived.

I hold only queen-high on an ace-high board with three spades, making a call unprofitable against any bet, and a bluff raise is too speculative.