Hold'em table

Calling with a suited connector in position is a reasonable way to see a flop cheaply while keeping the pot small.

The button limped and I'm getting 5:1 to complete, so K2o is a fine call from the small blind. Raising offsuit K2 out of position against two players has little fold equity and is weak.

Check the big blind with J8 suited after two limps; it realizes equity multiway without inflating a pot out of position with a marginal, potentially dominated hand.

With K-high on a paired board, out of position in a three-way limped pot, I'll check. A bet from the first seat into two players won't get enough folds to be worth it.

A small continuation stab can fold out unpaired overcards and weak holdings on this paired board. J-high has limited showdown value in a multiway pot.

We have a weak hand with only backdoor draws, and facing a bet on a paired board, folding is the disciplined choice.

Getting 5:1 against a small quarter-pot stab on a paired board, and king-high has enough showdown value plus overcards to continue. This is especially true since the BB's range for this bet is likely wide.

I have king-high with no draw on a paired board after calling a flop bet out of position. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me take a cheap look or give up to further aggression.

A turn continuation bet can fold out unpaired overcards and some weak flop floats while retaining equity when called. The paired board makes a modest sizing efficient.

K-high with no draw facing a turn bet on a paired board after calling the flop; calling 300 into 800 needs about 27% equity, and six outs to a king isn't enough against a player who has bet twice.

A9s is a strong hand on the button in a 3-handed game, so I'm opening to 2.5bb to take the initiative.

T2 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against an early raise with the big blind still behind.

I have a marginal hand but am getting good pot odds to call 150 into a pot of 400, and I have position relative to the raiser after the flop. Folding would give up too much equity against a button open.

I have top pair with a weak kicker on a wet board against the preflop raiser, so I check to control the pot and get more information before committing more chips.

A9 with a gutshot to the nut straight (a ten makes Broadway) plus an ace overcard and a backdoor flush draw, in position on a board that favors the preflop raiser. A small c-bet of about a third of the pot takes it down often and keeps our equity when called.

We have top pair with a mediocre kicker, but the pot odds are good (calling 200 to win 750). We can see the turn and reassess, keeping the pot manageable while in position disadvantage.

I have top pair with a decent kicker on a paired board, but the turn is a blank and my opponent showed strength on the flop. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me see the river in position.

Ace-high has some showdown value, but no real draw. The flop caller's range is heavy with Jx/Qx that won't fold, so I'll take a free card and reassess on the river.

I have a pair of jacks with a modest kicker, but the board is paired and the opponent showed strength preflop and on the flop. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me see a cheap showdown against a potentially stronger hand.

Ace-high has showdown value against the busted straight draws in the big blind's flop-calling range, and a bluff would mostly fold out hands we already beat while Jx and Qx would often call. Checking back takes the free showdown.

J9 suited is a playable button hand and benefits from taking the initiative. A small open raise can win the blinds or create a favorable in-position pot.

Q5 offsuit is too weak to continue against a button raise out of position, especially with the big blind still to act behind. Folding preserves chips for a better spot.

Getting about 2.25:1 against a wide 3-handed button open, 64o has enough raw equity and playability to defend from the big blind.

Middle pair plus an open-ended straight draw, but no diamond on a monotone board. Checking to the preflop raiser keeps the pot controlled out of position, and I plan to continue against a reasonable bet.

I have the J♦ flush draw plus overcard potential and a useful diamond blocker on this coordinated board. A medium continuation bet can fold out many non-diamond hands while building a pot when called.

A pair of fours with a gutshot to the 3 is getting about 3.6:1 on a half-pot bet, which is enough to continue. Raising a weak hand on a monotone board would be a poor bluff.

The board now has four diamonds and I hold no diamond. My weak pair of 4s is nearly worthless against a flop bettor, so I'll check and look for a cheap showdown or fold to pressure.

I have the jack-high diamond flush on a four-diamond board. A turn bet extracts value from weaker diamonds while retaining strong hands.

The board has four diamonds and we hold none. Our only real outs are the three non-diamond 3s for a straight, which is far short of the roughly 29% equity needed to call 1000 into this pot.

I have a decent offsuit king and only need to call 100 into a 150 pot, so I'll see a flop in position.

Getting 5:1 odds to complete with a suited hand in a limped pot. Folding is also fine, but completing for 50 chips is marginally profitable with 42s.

Check the big blind with a small pair in a multiway limped pot to see a flop cheaply and retain positional information.

Bottom pair with a backdoor flush draw, out of position in a three-way limped pot. Checking controls the pot and keeps my showdown value.

With a small underpair in a three-way limped pot, checking keeps the pot controlled and preserves equity rather than bluffing into two opponents.

I have only king-high with no real draw, so checking keeps the pot small and lets me see a free turn card in position.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker in a three-way pot on a board with broadway cards and a flush draw. Checking keeps the pot small and gives me some showdown value.

With a weak pair and two opponents on a king-high board, checking preserves showdown value and avoids inflating the pot.

I have top pair with a decent kicker on a coordinated board, so I bet for value to extract from weaker hands and draws.

Bottom pair with no kicker and no draw, out of position, with the big blind still left to act. Calling needs about 29% equity, and my realized equity on the river is likely too low to justify it.

Third pair has little showdown value on this K-Q-high board, and the turn bet after checked streets is likely to be made with a king, queen, or better. Folding preserves chips rather than paying off a marginal bluff-catcher.

K7 suited is a clear opening hand on the button in 3-handed play, so I'm raising to 2.5bb to take the initiative and pressure the blinds.

A suited ace is strong enough to defend the small blind against a button min-raise, especially with the big blind still to act and favorable pot odds.

Getting excellent pot odds of 4:1 to call only 150 more with QJo, and the hand has enough playability multiway to justify seeing a flop. Folding would waste the big blind already invested.

This is a poor board for A-high multiway, with little immediate equity beyond backdoor diamonds and overcard possibilities. Checking preserves flexibility and avoids inflating the pot out of position.

On a monotone club board I have K-high with no club and only a gutshot, so a 3-way c-bet is weak. Checking back takes the free card toward a J for the straight.

Betting leverages the checked flop and can fold out one-pair or unpaired hands while retaining eight clean straight outs when called.

K-high with only a gutshot (about 9% equity) facing a two-thirds-pot bet on a three-club board, well short of the ~22% needed to call. I hold no club, so a bluff-raise has little credibility.

A suited? Actually offsuit ace with a mediocre kicker is still a strong button opening hand three-handed. Raise to apply pressure and play in position.

Pocket fours are worth calling 2bb to see a flop and potentially hit a set, with good implied odds against the button's raise. Folding is too weak and raising with this hand is unnecessary out of position.

Getting 150 to win 600 (4:1) with a suited ace in the big blind, closing the action; calling is clearly profitable, and a squeeze is less attractive after the SB flatted.

Pocket fours are weak on this king-high flop against three players, so I take the free card and see the turn.

Ace-high with no draw on K-J-3 two-club board, multiway with the preflop raiser left to act; check and give up unless the action is cheap.

With ace-high and a weak club draw in a three-way pot, checking preserves equity and avoids facing unnecessary resistance on this coordinated board.

Pocket fours have no made hand on this turn board, so I check to see how the other players respond.

Ace-high has some showdown value in a pot that was checked through on the flop, and it has no draw, so it makes a poor bluff into two opponents. Checking keeps the pot small and gives me a chance to see a cheap showdown.

Betting our ace-high with a gutshot straight draw after both opponents showed weakness through the turn. This can fold out unpaired overcards and weaker holdings while retaining equity when called.

Pocket fours have little showdown value on this board and the turn bet likely indicates a made hand or strong draw. Calling 500 is not profitable against the opponent's range.

Ace-high with no draw on a two-flush, connected board against a turn bet. Calling needs about 29% equity, and my few outs to an ace or a six don't get me there, so I fold.