Hold'em table

On the button, 9♣7♠ is playable as a wide three-handed open; raising takes initiative and applies pressure to the blinds.

J5o from the small blind against a button open, with the big blind still to act, is too weak to call out of position or to 3-bet profitably. Folding.

Heads-up after the small blind folded, I'm getting 150 to win 400 from the big blind, about a 2.7-to-1 price. J2 offsuit has enough equity against a wide button raise to justify defending.

I have Jack-high with no pair on a 7-4-T flop, so I have no strong reason to bet and checking lets me see the next card for free.

I have a modest pair with a weak kicker and no heart draw. Checking keeps the pot controlled while retaining showdown value.

I have Jack-high with no pair on a four-card board, and checking is free and keeps the pot small. Betting air would be a weak bluff against a preflop raiser who has already checked back.

With a weak pair and modest kicker, checking keeps the pot controlled and preserves showdown value. A bet is unlikely to get called by enough worse hands to justify building the pot.

I can check for free on the river with a jack-high hand that has no made pair or straight, so checking keeps the pot small and avoids investing more chips.

I have only a weak pair of sevens on a board where many hands beat me, so there is no value in betting. I’ll take the free showdown.

K9o is a standard open from the button in 3-handed play, so I'm raising to 2.5bb to take the blinds or play in position.

Seven-four offsuit is a weak hand facing a button raise to 250, needing about 33% equity to call profitably, so folding is the disciplined play.

T5 offsuit is weak, but the button’s raise is heads-up and the pot odds are favorable enough for a wide big-blind defense. I’ll call and evaluate the flop.

With T-high and no meaningful draw on a paired, disconnected flop, checking preserves the option to continue only if the action stays favorable.

I have trips with a strong kicker on a dry paired board, so a small c-bet gets value from overcards and weaker pairs and keeps the BB's range wide. It also mirrors how I'd bet my air here, so the size gives nothing away.

T-5 has no pair or meaningful draw on this paired flop, so calling the raise would be too loose.

Ace-four offsuit on the button is a playable hand in a three-handed pot, and calling the 100-chip big blind keeps the pot small while I see a flop.

K8 offsuit is playable as a cheap completion against the button limp, but raising risks building a pot out of position with a modest hand.

T8o in the big blind facing two limpers is a fine hand to check and see a free flop. Raising would be marginal and would bloat the pot out of position.

I have a vulnerable middle-strength top pair in a three-way pot, and checking keeps the pot manageable while preserving the chance to improve.

T8 offhand has no pair and no draw on the A-K-6 flop, and the button is still to act behind me in this limped three-way pot. Checking is the cheapest option; a bluff here has little chance of getting both players to fold.

Top pair with an ace kicker is strong against two players who both checked, so betting about two-thirds pot builds the pot for value.

Call the small 200-chip bet with a pair of kings; folding is too tight, while raising risks isolating against stronger hands on an ace-high board.

T8 offhand has no pair and no real draw on an A-K-6 two-tone board, facing a bet and a call. Only a gutshot to a Queen-Jack-less straight isn't available, so folding is clear.

I have a modest second pair with a weak kicker on a coordinated board. Checking keeps the pot controlled and lets me respond to the button's action.

I hold top pair with an ace kicker on a non-paired board, and seat_1 checked the turn, so a half-pot value bet should earn calls from weaker hands.

I have a pair of kings and am getting favorable pot odds against a modest turn bet. Calling keeps bluffs and weaker hands in while avoiding an unnecessary raise.

I have a decent but vulnerable pair of kings, while the ace on board makes thin value betting unattractive after the opponent's flop and turn aggression. Checking keeps weaker hands in and avoids value-owning myself against an ace or stronger king.

I have a pair of aces on a paired-free board, but seat_1 called two raises and then checked, so betting risks getting raised by a stronger hand. Checking takes the free showdown.

K9 offsuit is a profitable button open in a three-handed game. Raise to 2.5 big blinds to apply pressure while keeping the size reasonable.

KQo is well ahead of a wide 3-handed button opening range, and 3-betting from the small blind takes the initiative and avoids playing a squeezable flat out of position. Sizing to 10bb charges the button properly while keeping the big blind out.

Seven-five offsuit is weak, and facing a 1000 raise from the small blind with 900 to call, the pot odds don't justify continuing with this hand.

K9 offsuit is too weak to continue against a very large 3-bet; calling would needlessly invest 7.5 big blinds out of position to a strong range.

AQo is a strong open from the button in 3-handed play, so I'm raising to 2.5bb for value and position.

Facing a 2.5bb open from the button, I'm getting about 2:1 on a 200-chip call with A4 offsuit, which is enough to continue in this three-way pot.

4♣2♣ is too weak to continue against a raise and a caller, especially out of position; its limited equity is unlikely to realize the call's pot-odds threshold.

I have ace-high with a backdoor gutshot-free draw on a K-7-6 board and no made hand, so checking keeps the pot small and lets me see whether the preflop raiser bets.

AQ with the nut flush draw (As) and an overcard on K76 two-tone; a small c-bet in position denies equity and builds the pot with strong equity when called.

Calling 200 into an 800 pot needs only about 20% equity, and ace-high with a backdoor card is reasonable to continue against a single flop bet. Folding would give up a cheap look.

I have only ace-high with no made pair, and checking is free, so I keep the pot small and avoid bloating it out of position.

Semi-bluff barrel: the J turn favors my preflop-raiser range, and I have a gutshot to Broadway plus an ace overcard, so I can push folds from weaker made hands against a passive caller.

Ace-high with no pair facing a large turn raise from the button is weak. Calling 650 needs roughly 28% equity, which this hand is unlikely to have against a range that has been betting every street.

Jack-king offsuit on the button is a strong steal candidate against a small blind and big blind in a 3-handed game, so I raise to 300 to build the pot or win it outright.

JJ is a strong hand three-handed, so I’m 3-betting for value and to avoid playing out of position against the button and big blind. A larger size is appropriate from the small blind.

43o facing an open and a 3-bet from the small blind is a clear fold; calling 900 more out of position with the opener still to act is unprofitable.

King-jack offsuit is a playable broadway hand in position, so calling the 700 to match the small blind's raise is better than folding or bloating the pot with a 3-bet.

With pocket jacks and no spade on an ace-high monotone flop, a bet is unlikely to get much worse value and risks building a pot against stronger hands. Check and keep the pot controlled.

I have King-high with a spade draw and no pair, and seat_1 checked to me, so taking a free card is the lower-risk line.

The turn completes a four-spade board, and my jacks have no spade to make a flush. With no clear value bet and little protection to gain, checking keeps the pot controlled.

I have a pair of kings with a spade-heavy board that includes an ace, and seat_1 has checked the turn, so checking keeps the pot controlled and avoids bloating it against a likely stronger ace or a made hand.

With four spades on board, my jacks have no spade and are unlikely to get called by worse if I bet. I’ll take the free showdown rather than risk turning a marginal hand into a bluff.

We hold a pair of kings with an ace on the board, and seat_1 has checked the river, so checking is free and keeps the pot controlled for showdown.