Hold'em table

On the button in 3-handed play, 54s is a solid candidate to open-raise for initiative and position.

K2 offsuit is weak out of position in the small blind, facing a button open with a big blind still to act behind me. Calling 170 more to play a dominated hand is not profitable.

J8 suited is a reasonable big-blind defend against a small button raise, especially with the folded small blind's chips in the pot.

J-high has some showdown value on this dry paired flop, but few ways to improve. Checking avoids building a pot out of position with a weak hand.

As the preflop raiser in position, this dry, paired board heavily favors my range, so a small continuation bet of roughly one-third pot generates high fold equity against unpaired overcards.

The small flop bet gives me a reasonable price to continue with J-high and some backdoor straight possibilities. I can reassess if the button bets again on the turn.

J-high has little showdown value, but the turn does not improve my hand or offer a strong draw. Checking avoids building the pot with a weak hand.

Turned two pair with a weak kicker on a paired board; checking back controls the pot size and realizes showdown value against floats.

Jack-high has little showdown value, and the turn check leaves the opponent with many unpaired overcards. A river bet can make those hands fold.

Opponent leads river for about two-thirds pot after check-calling flop and checking turn. Our weak two pair only beats missed bluffs, and with few natural bluffs available on this runout, folding is standard.

A9s on the button in a 3-handed game is a strong enough hand to open-raise for value and position; a 3x raise puts pressure on both blinds.

T2 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a three-big-blind button raise with the big blind still to act.

J9 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a 3x button open, making fold a disciplined play.

J9 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed, and a 2.5 big blind raise uses position without overcommitting.

Q5o is a weak offsuit hand out of position facing a button open, making this a clear fold.

4-6 offsuit is a weak hand, and calling 150 more out of position against a button raise to 250 has poor expected value, so I'm folding.

Opening K8o on the button is standard in 3-handed play to exploit position against the blinds.

2d4d is a weak offsuit-ish hand out of position in the small blind facing a button raise with the big blind still to act; calling 200 more is unprofitable, so I fold.

Pocket threes are worth defending against a button raise for 150 more chips, especially with deep stacks and a wide opening range.

With an underpair on a dry queen-high flop, I prefer to check to the preflop raiser rather than build the pot.

I will check back with King-high to see a free turn card in position, keeping the pot manageable with minimal equity.

Pocket threes have little showdown value on this king-high board, but betting is unlikely to fold out enough better hands. Checking avoids investing more with a weak hand.

Turned top pair with decent equity against the big blind's checking range; betting for thin value and protection against various draws.

Pocket threes have little chance to improve on this turn, and calling 350 with an underpair is unlikely to be profitable.

K7 suited on the button in 3-handed play is a reasonable hand to see a flop with at a cheap price of 100 into a 150 pot; a raise is marginal, so I take the call.

A8 suited is strong enough to raise against a button limp, building the pot while putting pressure on the big blind.

QJo is weak out of position facing a 4.5bb raise from the small blind with the button limper still to act behind.

K7s out of position versus a small blind 3-bet-sized raise (450) is marginal; calling 350 to win a 650 pot is close, but K7s plays poorly and is dominated often, so folding is fine.

A7 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button in a three-handed game. A 2.5-big-blind raise pressures the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

Holding a pocket pair in the small blind facing a standard button open, calling 200 chips provides good implied odds to set-mine.

A6s in the big blind getting 600+150 pot odds (4:1) against a button open and small blind call; the suited ace has good playability, so calling is better than bloating the pot out of position.

With a weak pocket pair on a two-broadway board out of position against two opponents, checking is standard.

Ace-high with a backdoor nut flush draw on a K-J-3 two-club board, in a three-way pot against a preflop raiser who has position. Betting would mostly get called or raised by better hands, so I check and keep the pot small.

Ace-high has little immediate value on this multiway flop, and a bet is unlikely to fold out stronger hands or draws. Checking preserves the option to improve or respond to later action.

With an underpair on a wet, coordinated board against two opponents, checking is standard.

Ace-high with a backdoor nut flush draw on a K-J-9 board; the hand is too weak to bet and has some showdown value, so I check.

Ace-high has little equity against two opponents on this connected, draw-heavy board, and a bet is unlikely to fold out enough better hands. Checking keeps the pot small and preserves some showdown value.

We hold pocket fours on a high board multiway; checking is standard as turning this hand into a bluff into two opponents is unprofitable.

Ace-high on a K-J-9-7-3 board is a marginal showdown hand. Seat_1 checked, and the button checked twice, which suggests weakness. A small value/bluff bet of 400 can take the pot.

The small river bet offers good pot odds, and my pair of sevens can beat missed draws or a light stab after everyone checked the flop and turn.

Holding an underpair of fours against a river bet and call on a board of K-J-9-7-3, we have negligible showdown value and must fold.