Hold'em table

Queen-jack offsuit is a strong button hand in a 3-handed game, so I'll raise to 250 to build the pot and take initiative from the blinds.

5-2 suited is too weak to call a button raise out of position with the big blind still to act; folding preserves stack.

K7 suited is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button raise to 2.5bb. Calling costs 150 into a 400-chip pot, and the hand has reasonable equity and flush potential against a typical button opening range.

This paired ace-high flop favors the preflop raiser, so checking out of position is preferable to leading. King-high has some showdown value and a backdoor diamond draw.

Our Q-J is high-card only against a paired ace board, and checking is free with to_call at 0, so we take the free card rather than bet a hand that is likely behind.

The turn gives me a king-high flush draw, making this a strong semi-bluff after the button checked back the flop. A roughly two-thirds-pot bet can fold out unpaired hands and pressure smaller pocket pairs while building the pot when I improve.

I have only Q-J with a paired ace on board, and facing a 375 turn bet I need about 29% equity, which this weak holdup hand doesn't have against a possibly strong raise.

54 offsuit is too weak to invest a big blind even on the button in a 3-handed game; folding preserves stack versus raising or calling out of range.

83 offsuit is a bottom-range hand with poor playability, and I would be out of position against the big blind. Folding avoids investing more with little prospect of realizing equity.

Seven-four offsuit is too weak for a standard button open at 100 big blinds. Folding avoids investing chips with poor equity and playability against both blinds.

Calling the 50-chip completion is a cheap price to see a flop heads-up with J6 offsuit from the small blind, and folding gives up too much of the pot equity.

T7o is weak against a small-blind limp; checking in the big blind takes a free flop in position without risking chips.

I have Jack-high with no pair on a Q-T-2 flop and no bet to call, so checking is the free, low-risk option that keeps the hand cheap.

With second pair on a draw-heavy Q-T-2 board after the small blind checked, a small bet gets value from worse pairs and draws while denying equity to overcards and flush draws.

I have only Jack-high with no pair and need about 28% equity to call 125 into a 450 pot, which this weak hand does not have against a flop raise.

Queen-four offsuit is a weak holding, and a limp or raise from the button isn't profitable enough to justify playing it out of position against the blinds.

T3 offsuit is near the bottom of the small-blind range and will play poorly out of position against the big blind, so I fold rather than complete.

9-7 suited on the button in 3-handed play has good playability and position; raising applies pressure to the blinds instead of limping.

J8 suited is marginal against a button raise when playing out of position with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids a weak flat-call and an unnecessary light three-bet.

I'm in the big blind facing a 150-chip call into a 400-chip pot, about 27% pot odds, and K5 offsuit is a marginal hand that's reasonable to defend with here.

Our king-high has no pair and no real draw on a Q-7-6 board, so checking to see the turn for free is the sound play.

In position with a pair of 7s on a Q-7-6 two-diamond board, a small c-bet protects against overcards and draws and can get value from 6x and worse pairs while keeping the pot manageable.

I have a 5-6-7 straight draw with 3, 4, 8, and 9 as outs, and calling 200 into a 950 pot gives good odds to see the turn and river.

I hold only King-high on a paired board with no made hand, so checking keeps the pot small and avoids bloating it against a seat that has shown aggression.

With queens and sevens I have modest showdown value, but worse hands rarely call and better queens, sevens with better kickers, or higher pairs will. Checking controls the pot and avoids turning my hand into a bluff.

I have kings and queens, two pair, which is strong on this river. A half-pot value bet should get called by weaker kings, queens, or bluff-catchers.

I have queens and sevens with a king kicker, needing about 24% equity to call 450. Opponent's river lead is polarized to queens, kings, and many missed diamond and straight draws, giving me enough bluff-catching equity.

Pocket fives are a clear button open three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds applies pressure to the blinds while retaining positional advantage and set potential when called.

Nine-four offsuit is a weak hand, and calling 200 more from the small blind into a button raise needs about 33% equity, which 9-4o does not have against a button's raising range.

Q7o is too weak to defend the big blind out of position against a button raise; its realized equity is below the price despite the discount.