Hold'em table

As the button in a three-handed game, pocket fives is strong enough to open-raise; 250 chips is a standard-sized raise that applies pressure while keeping weaker hands in the pot.

Queen-nine offsuit is too weak to call a 2.5bb raise out of position with a third player still behind.

Getting good pot odds in the big blind against a wide button open, T8o has enough equity and playability to defend rather than surrender the blind.

With 8-T I have two gutshot straight draws (any K or 9) for eight outs on a dangerous A-Q-J board out of position. Checking keeps the pot controlled and lets me realize equity cheaply versus the preflop raiser's strong range.

With a small pocket pair on an A-Q-J flop, I have little equity to improve and useful showdown value. Checking back keeps the pot small and avoids being raised off that value.

I have only ten-high with a double gutshot on a paired board, so a bluff would likely be called by pairs or flush draws. Checking keeps the pot small and gives a free chance to hit the straight.

With only a pair of fives on a paired ace-high board, my hand has little value and no useful draw. I’ll take the free card rather than bluff into a checked pot.

I have only board pair of Aces with a Ten kicker, which loses to most King-high and paired hands at showdown. Opponent checked flop and turn after raising preflop, showing weakness, so a river bluff representing trips, a flush, or a straight should fold out better kickers often enough to be profitable.

A river call requires winning often, but my pocket fives are a weak bluff-catcher on this ace-high, connected board. The opponent’s bet can represent many better hands, and I have no strong reason to expect enough bluffs.

T3 offsuit from the button is too weak to call even for one big blind; folding is cheapest.

9-6 offsuit is a weak, disconnected hand out of position against the big blind. Folding avoids investing more with a bottom-range holding despite the small completion cost.

On the button 3-handed, Ad3d is a suited ace well ahead of blind ranges, so raising to 2.5bb applies pressure and builds a pot in position.

K♠2♣ is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

84o is a weak hand facing a 2.5x raise out of position; folding is clearly best.

A♦Q♦ is a strong button-opening hand three-handed; raise for value and initiative while keeping the sizing moderate.

Q8s is dominated by a 3bb button raise range and I'm out of position; folding is the profitable play.

J7 offsuit is too weak to defend the big blind against a 3x button raise out of position; its raw equity is marginal and postflop realization will be poor.

6c4c offsuit is a weak hand from the button facing a call already in the pot; folding is the standard profitable play.

AQ suited is a premium hand heads-up against the big blind after the button folded, so I raise for value and to take initiative.

A 7-5 offsuit is too weak to continue against the small blind’s sizable raise, especially out of position. I'd rather preserve the 200-chip call amount.

J-T offsuit is a strong button hand in 3-handed play with good playability; raising builds pot in position and can take blinds.

K5 offsuit is a weak, dominated hand from the small blind, and calling leaves the big blind still to act. Folding avoids investing more against the button’s raise with poor postflop playability.

2h5s is dominated trash facing a 2.5x raise; folding saves 150 chips with no equity worth defending.