Hold'em table

J8o is slightly too weak to open profitably from the button even in 3-handed play, making fold standard.

Q2 offsuit is playable heads-up, but raising from out of position would build a pot with a weak hand. Completing the small blind keeps the investment low.

AKo is a premium hand in a three-handed pot against a limping small blind, so I raise for value to build the pot and take the initiative.

Q2 offsuit is too weak to call a 4bb raise out of position.

A-K offsuit is a premium hand on the button, so I’m raising for value and to take the initiative.

7-5 offsuit is a weak hand out of position against a 3x button raise with the big blind still to act, so folding is best rather than paying 250 more.

Defending the big blind with QJo getting over 2:1 immediate pot odds against a button open.

Check to the preflop aggressor out of position with Queen-high and a gutshot plus backdoor spades.

Top pair with top kicker is strong heads-up. A 450-chip bet gets value from weaker kings and draws while charging flush and straight draws.

With only Queen-high and backdoor draws facing a large 70% pot c-bet on a King-high board, there are insufficient pot odds or implied odds to continue.

5h9h is a suited, semi-connected hand on the button in a 3-handed pot. Calling 100 to win a pot of 250 has good odds and position, and the hand is not strong enough to raise.

82s is too weak to complete out of position, even getting 5:1 odds, with the big blind still left to act.

8♠3♠ is too weak to build a pot out of position, but I can see the flop for free.

A flush draw gives me equity when called, and a small flop bet can win the pot immediately against the button's wide limping range.

I hold bottom pair of fives with a backdoor heart draw. Facing a small 175 bet into 425 I get about 3.4-to-1, so calling is clearly profitable, and I'm in position on the button.

I have a low flush draw with no made hand. After the flop bet was called, checking controls the pot and may let me see the river cheaply.

I have bottom pair with a gutshot straight draw (5h 9h on 5s 7h Qs Th, needing an 8 for the straight) and a backdoor heart draw. Villain checked the turn, showing weakness, so I'm betting about 2/3 pot as a semi-bluff, which also builds the pot when I improve.

I have a low flush draw with no made hand. The 400-chip call needs more equity than the draw provides on its own, and the potential payoff if I hit is uncertain.

54 offsuit is too weak to open from the button even in 3-handed play.

The button folded, and completing the small blind costs just 50 chips to see a flop heads-up. A low connected hand has enough potential to justify that price.

K2 offsuit is a weak hand, but checking the big blind is free and lets me see a flop against the small blind's limp. Raising would put chips at risk with a marginal hand out of position.

I have no pair or meaningful draw on this flop, so I’ll check rather than build the pot out of position.

I have bottom pair (deuce) with a king kicker on J-2-T. SB checked, so a small bet of 100 into a 200 pot gets value from worse pairs and draws and protects against overcards. It also risks little if raised.}

I have no pair or meaningful draw on this flop, so calling the bet is unlikely to be profitable.

K7 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed. A modest raise pressures the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

6-9 offsuit is a weak hand, and I would be out of position against a button raise with the big blind still to act behind me. Calling 180 more is not worth it.

Getting nearly 3:1 pot odds facing a standard button open in 3-handed play, A3o has sufficient equity to defend.

Flopped two pair out of position as the preflop caller; checking to the preflop aggressor to induce a continuation bet or check-raise.

A small continuation bet leverages my preflop range advantage on the ace-high flop and can fold out hands that beat king-high.

We flopped two pair on a draw-heavy board (flush draw and straight possibilities). Check-raising builds the pot for value against Ax and draws while charging opponent equity.

King-high with no diamond or immediate straight draw has little equity against a flop check-raise.

A8o is a strong hand in 3-handed play, and raising from the button puts pressure on both blinds and gives me position.

K3s is too weak to defend out of position against a 3bb open from the button with the big blind still to act.

K7 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a button open, and calling closes the preflop action.

Trips with a strong kicker on a dry board can comfortably check to the preflop raiser, giving them a chance to continuation-bet or improve with a weaker hand.

Ace-high on a paired 7-7-T board, heads-up in position after the big blind checked. A small bet of about 60% of the pot gets value from worse hands like Tx and small pairs, and takes the pot from weak hands that fold.

Trips with a strong kicker are well ahead of a wide button c-betting range. Calling keeps bluffs and weaker hands in the pot on this dry board.

I have trips with a strong kicker, and the ace is likely to prompt the preflop raiser to bet. Checking keeps their bluffs in and lets me respond to their sizing.

Top pair with an ace on a paired board is likely best against a checking range. A bet of about half the pot gets value from weaker aces and Tx, and it also denies equity to flush draws and overcard hands.

Trips with a strong kicker are ahead of many ace-x hands and draws that can call a turn raise. Raising now builds value before a club or other unfavorable river arrives.

I hold top pair with an ace on a paired board (A-T-7-7). Seat 2's check-raise on the turn is strong, but the price is 1700 to win a 4550 pot, so I need about 27% equity. Their range includes bluffs and weaker aces, so calling is reasonable, and the ace kicker beats many hands. A re-raise would only get called by better hands.

Trip sevens with a king kicker are strong on this river. A value bet can get called by an ace or a weaker seven.

I hold top pair with an ace kicker, which is decent against a range that includes turn check-raise bluffs and weaker aces. The price is about 3.95 to 1, so I need roughly 25% equity. Seat 2's line looks strong, but a call is reasonable and a raise is not.