Hold'em table

On the button with 58 suited, a small open takes the initiative and keeps the hand playable in position rather than flat-calling a weak speculative hand.

9♥4♣ is a weak offsuit hand from the small blind, and calling risks entering the pot out of position with the big blind still to act.

Holding T2o in the big blind against an open raise is a clear fold due to very poor equity and reverse implied odds.

On the button in a three-handed game, 6♣5♦ is playable as a raise; a modest raise gives me a chance to take the pot while retaining position postflop.

Q4 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button open.

93 suited is too weak to continue out of position against a button open; folding avoids a dominated, speculative spot.

J2o is too weak to open from the button even in 3-handed play.

Button folded, so I only face the big blind and am getting 3:1 to complete. J5o is weak out of position, but the price is too good to fold and too poor to raise.

With a small pair in position and no raise to call, I’ll take the free flop and keep the pot manageable while retaining set value.

Jack-high with no pair or draw on an ace-high flop has little showdown value and no strong bluff equity, so I take the free card rather than bet into the big blind.

I flopped a set and want to build the pot while charging ace-high hands and club draws. A moderate bet keeps weaker pairs and draws in while protecting against free cards.

Jack-high with no pair and no draw on an ace-high board is too weak to continue against a flop bet.

K4o is too weak to open from the button in three-handed play; folding avoids dominated spots and preserves chips.

With the button folded, this is blind-versus-blind and I only need to complete 50 chips. 6-5 offsuit is weak, but the price and positional matchup make a call reasonable.

I have 53o in the big blind facing a complete from the small blind; checking to see a free flop is standard.

I have an open-ended straight draw, but this ace-high board may favor the big blind. Checking keeps the pot small while giving me a chance to realize my draw.

I hold a double gutshot straight draw (any 2 or 6 makes a straight) and take the free card in position.

I have a made 8-high straight and should bet for value while charging flush draws and weaker hands that may call.

Holding 53 on a 4-7-A-8 board gives only a gutshot straight draw (four 6s), which offers around 8.7% equity, far below the 33.3% pot odds needed to call a pot-sized bet.

T5 suited is a reasonable button open in a three-handed game; raising puts pressure on the blinds while retaining playability postflop.

Facing a 2.5bb button raise from the small blind with A7o, this hand does not play well out of position and is a standard fold.

83s is too weak to continue out of position against a button raise; folding avoids a dominated, poorly playable spot.

Holding 63o on the button is well outside an acceptable opening range even in 3-handed play, making fold the clearly optimal action.

72s is too weak to continue out of position for another 50 against the big blind after the button folded.