Hold'em table

K4o on the button three-handed is a standard open-raise; a 2.5bb steal pressures both blinds.

J8 suited has enough playability to defend the small blind against a button min-raise at this price.

K8 suited has enough equity to defend the big blind for 150 chips with 600 already in the pot. Calling keeps the pot manageable against two opponents.

With no made hand or meaningful immediate draw in a three-way raised pot, checking preserves equity and avoids bluffing into two opponents.

With king-high and only a backdoor flush draw in a three-way pot, I prefer to check to the preflop raiser rather than bluff into two opponents.

Ace-high dry board strongly favors the preflop raiser, and both players checked to us. A small one-third-pot c-bet should take the pot often, and our king-high hand has some backdoor equity.

J-high with only a backdoor diamond draw has insufficient equity against a multiway flop continuation on an ace-high board.

K-high with only a backdoor flush draw is too weak to continue against a flop bet into multiple players.

8-6 offsuit is a weak button opening hand in this short-handed spot, so I fold rather than enter with poor equity.

A2 suited is a profitable heads-up small-blind open with nut-flush potential. Raising puts pressure on the big blind rather than giving a free flop.

Heads-up in position against a small-blind open, K4o has enough equity to call at 2:1 pot odds, but it's not strong enough to 3-bet.

This low, connected flop favors the big blind's calling range. With ace-high and a gutshot, I can check and reassess if they bet.

With an open-ended straight draw plus a king overcard, in position after the preflop raiser checked, a semi-bluff of about two-thirds pot has good fold equity and strong equity when called.

The gutshot, backdoor diamond draw, and occasional ace-high showdown value make a call preferable to folding. Raising would risk too much against a range that connects well with this low board.

The ace gives me top pair, and a half-pot bet can get value from weaker pairs and draws while denying them a free river.

I have an open-ended straight draw with 8 outs to the 2 or 7. The price is 25% equity, and implied odds against a likely Ax hand that can pay off on the river make calling reasonable.

My ace has showdown value, but the weak kicker makes a value bet thin against a range that called the turn. Checking also gives missed draws a chance to bluff.

My straight draw missed and king-high almost never wins at showdown. Villain led the turn, then checked the river, which suggests a capped, medium-strength range, so a two-thirds-pot bluff can fold out pairs and weak aces while my Kh blocks AK and KK.

Top pair is a bluff-catcher here, but the opponent can have missed heart and straight draws. Calling 2,000 into a pot of 4,800 requires winning often enough to justify a call.

J7 offsuit is playable on the button in a three-handed game. I’ll open for a modest raise to use my positional advantage.

A5o plays poorly as an out-of-position call, but against a wide three-handed button steal it makes a solid 3-bet: it has an ace blocker and decent equity when called. A 3-bet also isolates the button and puts pressure on the big blind.

J9 offsuit is too weak to defend against the small blind's large 3-bet, especially with the button still behind.

J7 offsuit is too weak to continue against a large three-bet, even with position.

J2 offsuit is too weak to open from the button in a 3-handed game with 100bb stacks, so folding is standard.

A9 suited-equivalent strength is well ahead of a lone big blind’s random holding heads-up. Raising from the small blind applies pressure and builds value.

Against a small-blind raise, the price and positional advantage make this marginal hand worth defending in a rake-free pot.

I bet with the nut-flush draw and ace overcard, applying pressure while retaining strong equity when called.

Middle pair is worth continuing against one flop bet, especially in position. Raising would risk building a large pot with a weak kicker.

Our pair of nines has some showdown value but is too thin to value-bet confidently on a turn that completes diamonds. Checking controls the pot and avoids being raised off our equity.

Bottom pair has some showdown value but is too weak to build the pot, so I’ll check behind and see the river.

Value bet top pair with an ace kicker on a dry river after the turn checks through. A half-pot sizing can be called by worse nines, jacks, and bluff-catchers.

The river bet is relatively small, and my pair of sevens can beat missed diamond draws and other bluffs. I need to be right only about a quarter of the time to call.

Button opening with T8 suited is profitable short-handed, leveraging position and playability.

K4 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still to act.

Getting about 3.7:1 against a wide button open, 82s is suited and playable enough to defend from the big blind.

82 of diamonds with a backdoor flush draw is weak on AA5 out of position against the preflop raiser, so checking is standard and keeps the pot small. I can take a free card or fold to a bet.

A small continuation bet can fold out unpaired broadways and some pocket pairs while leveraging the paired ace board. The club gives a little extra equity and useful turn-barrel potential.

With 8-high on an A-A-5 board, I have no pair and no draw, since my diamonds are only a backdoor. Folding to a small c-bet is fine even at 200 into 550.

J4 offsuit is too weak to profitably open here without information that the blinds fold often.

QJo is a strong hand for blind-vs-blind play, so raising to 3bb from the small blind takes the initiative and folds out weak big-blind hands.

K7 offsuit is too weak to defend against the small blind's raise, especially out of position.