Hold'em table

Open-raising on the button with suited connectors (65s) is standard for position and playability.

AJo is strong against a button’s wide three-handed opening range. A 3-bet to 700 applies pressure while gaining value and avoids playing the hand passively out of position.

K3o is a weak hand and facing a 3-bet from the small blind out of position, folding is the only sensible play.

Calling the 3-bet in position with a suited connector getting 2:1 immediate pot odds with deep implied odds.

Top pair with the best kicker is strong for value, and a modest bet charges heart draws and weaker pairs without bloating the pot unnecessarily.

I flopped bottom pair plus a flush draw in position; calling 600 into a 2100 pot offers great direct odds and allows me to realize my equity comfortably.

Bet for value and protection with top pair/top kicker on a board with live flush and straight draws. A moderate sizing keeps worse jacks and draws in while charging them to continue.

I have a monster combo draw with a pair of fives, open-ended straight draw, and flush draw with 16+ outs, easily getting the required pot odds to call in position.

My two pair is strong on this river, and a moderate value bet can get called by weaker aces while avoiding an overbet that mostly gets action from better hands.

Holding bottom pair with a weak kicker facing a preflop three-bettor who fired three barrels on an ace river is an easy fold.

J9 offsuit is a reasonable button open in a three-handed game; raising applies positional pressure and can win the blinds immediately.

J3o is too weak to play out of position against a button raise and the big blind yet to act.

Getting attractive pot odds of 2.67-to-1 in the big blind against a button open, JTo is a standard call to defend.

Check to the preflop aggressor with second pair and a gutshot straight draw to control the pot out of position.

A small continuation bet applies pressure while giving me a chance to win the pot immediately; if called, I have an open-ended straight draw and a backdoor flush draw.

I have second pair with a gutshot straight draw and good pot odds against a small continuation bet.

Check to control the pot with second pair on a paired board out of position.

I have a useful open-ended straight draw, but little showdown value and the paired queen makes a turn bluff unattractive. Checking lets me realize my equity without inflating the pot.

I have two pair (Queens and Tens) with a decent kicker. Checking is standard to realize showdown value or induce a bluff after opponent checked back the turn.

I have modest showdown value with queens and nines, but worse hands are unlikely to call a river bet while tens and queens would. I’ll take the free showdown.

K6o is too weak to play from the button in a 3-handed game with no reads; better to preserve chips for stronger hands.

A8o is well ahead of a random hand in a blind-versus-blind situation, making an open-raise to 3 bb standard.

A9 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind heads-up, but calling avoids inflating the pot against a 3x raise with a hand that can be dominated.

Board connects well with the big blind's calling range, and A8o has limited equity out of position, making checking the best standard play.

Ace-high has some showdown value and an overcard, but I have no made hand or immediate draw. I’ll take the free card rather than inflate the pot.

I have Ace-high with a gutshot straight draw; checking out of position to realize equity cheaply.

With ace-high and no meaningful draw, checking preserves showdown value after the flop checked through. A turn bet risks building the pot against pairs and heart draws without much equity when called.

I hold Ace-high with an Ace blocker on a board that has checked through flop and turn; checking gives a free showdown against worse unpaired hands.

With ace-high on a checked-through river, I can often win against missed draws, while a bet is unlikely to get called by worse hands. Check and take the showdown.

64o is too weak of an offsuit hand to open even on the button in 3-handed play, making an easy fold.

With only the big blind left, 3-2 offsuit has enough equity against a random hand to continue at this discounted price. I’ll call rather than inflate the pot with a weak hand.

J2 suited is weak and I can see a free flop in the big blind; no need to build a pot out of position with little equity.

I have no pair or meaningful draw on this flop, so checking avoids putting chips into the pot with a weak hand.

We have a flush draw with Jd2d on a KdTd8c board, but no pair. Checking allows us to see a free turn card without investing more chips.

The turn ace is a favorable scare card for my small-blind range, and the flop checked through. A modest bluff may fold out weak pairs while risking relatively little.

KJo is a strong enough hand to open from the button. A 250-chip raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable if called.

T7 offsuit is too weak to play out of position against a button raise, folding is the best option to preserve chips.

Holding eight-three offsuit out of position against a button raise is an easy fold despite the pot odds.

On the button in a 3-handed game, J5o is a marginal but playable open. I raise small to try to win the blinds and will use my position postflop if called.

T9s has excellent playability and equity against a button opening range; calling 150 chips offers great pot odds to see a flop.

Q♣7♣ is marginal but playable with this price: calling 100 chips into a 500-chip pot keeps me in with suited potential.

Check out of position in a multiway pot with ten-high and only backdoor potential.

Top pair with a weak kicker is vulnerable to raises, especially in a three-way pot. Check to control the pot and see whether the button acts.

I have middle pair with a weak kicker on a dry board. Both opponents checked, indicating weakness, but I don't want to build a pot with a marginal hand. Checking back keeps the pot small and allows me to reevaluate on the turn.

I have a gutshot straight draw with ten-nine on a high board; checking out of position to see how the other two players act is prudent.

I have a modest top pair with a weak kicker, and the king on the turn improves many opponents’ hands. Checking keeps the pot controlled and lets me reach showdown without risking a bet into two players.

With bottom pair on a board with two overcards and no aggression from opponents, betting would be a bluff with little fold equity given the pot is small. Checking keeps the pot small and gives a free chance to improve on the river.

I have ten-high with no showdown value, but bluffing into two opponents on a double-broadway board is unlikely to succeed often enough. Checking gives up zero additional chips.

With two pair, I have a decent showdown hand, but a river bet risks value-owning myself against Kx, while weaker hands may not call. I’ll take the free showdown.

I have a pair of fives on a board with two overcards. Both opponents have checked through the river, showing weakness, but my hand has marginal showdown value and betting could be called by better hands like a weak king or queen. Checking down risks losing to a higher pair but avoids bloating the pot with a mediocre hand.