Hold'em table

Raise pocket aces for value and build the pot while retaining calls from weaker hands. A 2.5-big-blind button opening also leaves room for the blinds to reraise.

J-6 offsuit is too weak to continue against a button raise, especially from the small blind with the big blind still to act.

9-4 offsuit is a weak hand. I'd be calling 150 into a 400 pot out of position against a button raise, which is poor value, so I fold.

9-4 offsuit is too weak to open from the button, and calling would invite the blinds in with a poor hand.

KTs is a strong hand heads-up from the small blind against the big blind, so raising for value and initiative is better than just completing.

Q4 suited is a reasonable big-blind defense against a small-blind open, with position for the rest of the hand. Calling 200 into a 400 pot preserves its suited equity without inflating the pot with a weak kicker.

I have middle pair with a king kicker (Kh Th on Qc 2h Tc) and I'm first to act heads-up in a 600 pot. A bet of about two-thirds pot gets value from worse pairs and draws and protects against overcards, though a check would also be reasonable.

Top pair with a backdoor heart draw is strong enough to defend against a small-blind continuation bet, needing about 29% equity. Calling keeps bluffs in and avoids inflating the pot against better queens.

Top pair-ish with Kh and a pair of tens (two pair K and T) on Qc 2h Tc Ks is strong; betting about half pot for value against a caller who may hold Q, K or a draw, and it charges the straight draws holding J or A. Out of position, so I lead out. ‌I bet 700 into 1400. ‌

The half-pot bet requires 25% equity, and second pair remains a reasonable bluff-catcher against a wide small-blind range. Holding no club leaves flush-draw barrels unblocked, making a call preferable to folding here.

I have top two pair (Kings and Tens) on a Q-T-K board, and I've been betting every street. The opponent called twice, so they likely hold a worse made hand or a draw that missed, and I want value from worse two pair, Kx, Tx, or Qx. A bet of about half the pot (1400 into 2800) should get called.

Second pair with a weak kicker is near the bottom of my river bluff-catching range against three barrels. Missed clubs provide possible bluffs, but without evidence of overbluffing I do not expect to win the 25% needed to call.

Pocket fours on the button in a 3-handed game is a strong enough hand to raise for value and position, so I make a standard 3x open.

53 offsuit is too weak to defend against a 3bb raise from the small blind, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids investing more with poor equity and a positional disadvantage.

A5 suited is a strong enough hand to defend the big blind, and calling closes the action at a reasonable price while preserving weaker hands in the button’s range.

Top pair is strong, but checking out of position lets the preflop raiser continuation-bet and keeps weaker hands and bluffs in the pot.

Pocket fours on a Q-A-Q board is a weak showdown hand that beats only small pairs and bluffs. I'm in position after the big blind checked, so a small bet of about half the pot takes the pot or gets information, and it folds out hands like middle cards that hold little equity.}

Top pair is strong enough to continue against a modest flop bet, but the weak kicker and paired board make raising unnecessary. Call and evaluate the turn.

I have a strong full house and can get value from weaker aces or other bluff-catchers with a modest turn bet. Keeping the size controlled limits the cost if the opponent holds a queen, which makes a higher full house.

The board is AAQQ, so my 44 plays only as AAQQ with a 4 kicker. Any opponent card above a 4 beats me, so I'm almost never ahead and 20% pot odds aren't enough.

A6 suited is a profitable button open three-handed, with ace-blocker value and good flush potential. Raising to 2.5 big blinds pressures the blinds while preserving positional flexibility.

K3 offsuit is a weak, easily dominated hand out of position against the button's raise, with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids committing more chips in a poor spot.

K6 offsuit is weak and out of position against a button open. Calling 150 to win 400 is tempting on price, but the hand plays poorly postflop, so folding is the cleaner choice.

K♥9♥ is a solid button-opening hand in a three-handed game. Raise to 2.5 big blinds to build the pot while applying pressure to the blinds.

K3 offsuit is weak from the small blind facing a button open and a big blind still to act behind. Calling 200 more out of position in a three-way pot is unprofitable, so I fold.

A7 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button open, with only 150 more needed into a 400-chip pot. Calling keeps weaker hands in the opponent’s range without inflating the pot out of position.

With only ace-high and no meaningful draw on a coordinated two-club flop, checking out of position is preferable to leading into the preflop raiser.

I have a vulnerable middle pair on a coordinated, two-club board. A small bet can get value from weaker pairs while charging draws, without risking too much if raised.

Ace-high with no flush draw or immediate straight draw is a weak continuation on this coordinated flop. Out of position, the small bet does not justify calling with poor equity realization.

A9s on the button in a 3-handed game is a strong hand, so I raise to 3bb for value and to take position and initiative.

K8 offsuit is too weak to continue profitably against a 3bb button raise from the small blind, with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids playing a frequently dominated hand out of position.

J5 offsuit is too weak to continue against a 3bb button raise, especially out of position; the pot odds do not make up for its poor playability.