Hold'em table

On the button three-handed, J9o is well within opening range and raising applies pressure to the blinds rather than limping.

J6 suited is too weak to defend profitably from the small blind against a 3bb raise with the big blind still to act. Poor position and frequent domination outweigh its suited potential.

Kh Th is a strong enough hand to defend the big blind against a button open in a 3-handed game. Calling keeps the pot manageable and allows me to realize equity postflop with a hand that flops well.

Out of position with two overcards and no draw, I'll check to the preflop raiser to see his action.

Top pair with a Jack kicker on a 9-8-2 board is ahead of the big blind's checking range. Betting charges straight draws and weaker pairs while building value.

KhTh on 9s8d2c board has only a gutshot straight draw and overcards, giving around 4 clean outs, not enough equity to call 400 into 1050. Folding avoids chasing a weak draw out of position.

K6 offsuit is a reasonable button open three-handed. A small raise pressures the blinds while keeping the pot manageable with a marginal hand in position.

Q4s is too weak to call a button raise from the small blind, especially out of position with no postflop edge in a memoryless game.

A4 suited is a strong BB defense versus a small button raise, with good pot odds closing the action heads-up.

Top pair with ace kicker plus a gutshot to the wheel on a low board is well ahead of a button raising range. Betting for value and protection builds the pot while charging overcards.

K-high with a gutshot and uncertain pair outs is too weak to continue against a 70%-pot lead. This low board favors the big blind's range, making a bluff raise unattractive as well.

Open-raising A4o from the button in 3-handed, applying pressure on the blinds with a standard 2.5x sizing.

7-3 offsuit is one of the weakest hands and faces a button raise to 2.5bb with the big blind still to act; calling 200 more is unprofitable.

J8 suited is a profitable big-blind defense against a button open to 2.5bb. Calling costs 150 into a 400 pot, and the hand has good playability without needing to inflate the pot out of position.

Out of position against the preflop raiser, checking is preferable on this paired board. J8 has little immediate showdown value and only a backdoor club draw, so there is no compelling reason to lead.

As the preflop aggressor with position, a continuation bet on this paired queen-high board can take down the pot immediately if opponent missed. Betting about half pot represents strength and denies equity to random overcards or draws.

J8 has no immediate draw and only a backdoor club draw on this paired board. Against a half-pot bet out of position, its weak showdown value and poor equity realization favor folding.

On the button three-handed, A3 offsuit with an ace is ahead of blind ranges and plays well in position, so raising to steal and build value is better than limping or folding.

K6 offsuit is too weak to defend profitably from the small blind against a 2.5bb button raise, with the big blind still to act. Its poor playability and domination risk favor folding.

Holding 6h2h in the big blind against a button open, the hand is too weak to defend profitably out of position with poor implied odds. Folding preserves stack and avoids playing a dominated hand.

Q7 offsuit is a reasonable button open in a three-handed, rake-free game. A small raise pressures the blinds while limiting investment with a marginal hand that will have position postflop.

K2s is a weak hand out of position against a button raise; calling would lead to difficult postflop spots, and 3-betting as a bluff is too risky without reads.

Facing a small 2.25bb button raise, 9-7 offsuit has enough equity against a wide opening range for the 125-chip price, despite being out of position.

Out of position with an open-ended straight draw and a backdoor flush draw, checking to the preflop raiser preserves equity and avoids bloating the pot without a made hand.

With queen-high, no heart, and only backdoor straight potential, this is a weak continuation-bet candidate on a connected, two-heart board. Checking preserves chips and lets us reassess the turn in position.

I have the ten-high straight on the turn, effectively the nuts, so I bet for value to build the pot and charge heart and straight draws.

Queen-high with a gutshot has too little equity to call a 75%-pot turn bet. Pairing the queen may not be enough, and there is no compelling reason to bluff-raise.

T4o is a very weak hand, even 3-handed on the button. Folding avoids risking chips with a hand that has little equity and poor playability postflop.

Button folded, so heads-up in the small blind Q8 suited is well ahead of the big blind's wide range and worth opening for value and initiative despite being out of position postflop.

K4 offsuit is strong enough to defend against a typical wide small-blind opening range, getting 2-to-1 pot odds. Position postflop supports calling despite the weak kicker.

As the preflop raiser on a paired flop, a small continuation bet can fold out many of the big blind's unpaired hands, and I still have queen-high equity to improve if called.

K4 has only king-high showdown value and no flush or straight draw on this paired board. With weak improvement prospects and vulnerability to further barrels, it is a reasonable fold even against the small bet.