Hold'em table

9-6 offsuit is too weak to open from this position, especially with two opponents remaining.

Pocket jacks are a strong heads-up hand, so I raise for value against the big blind.

T7o in the big blind against a wide small-blind open gets good pot odds (250 to win 700) with position postflop, so calling beats folding.

A small flop bet with JJ can get value from tens and draws while denying free cards to overcards.

Middle pair on Qc-5h-Ts facing a one-third-pot c-bet from the small blind. I'm getting 925:225, and a wide 3-handed SB range means my hand has enough equity to call; raising would fold out worse and get called by better.

The second five is unlikely to have helped the caller. A modest bet can get value from tens and draws while protecting my jacks.

Second pair facing a small ~40% pot turn bet only needs about 22% equity, and the SB's small sizing range contains plenty of air and weaker hands. Calling keeps the bluffs in without bloating the pot against a queen.

I have a strong full house. A value bet can get called by straights, a five, or a queen while leaving room for weaker hands to continue.

Our tens and fives with a 7 kicker only beat bluffs. On a Q-T-5-J board, the preflop raiser's escalating triple barrel is heavily weighted toward Qx, Jx, and straights, and we need about 30% bluffs to justify the call.

J4 suited is playable as a button open in three-handed hold’em. A 2.5-big-blind raise uses position without committing too much of the stack.

98o from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still to act, is a weak out-of-position spot. Folding is standard and 3-betting it is too loose.

97 offsuit is too weak to defend profitably against a button raise at this sizing.

52o is too weak to open from the button in 3-handed play with 100bb stacks, so folding is standard.

3-6 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against the big blind.

Pocket fours is strong enough to open on the button three-handed. A 2.5bb raise pressures the blinds while preserving flexibility against resistance.

7-6 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a button raise, with the big blind still to act.

Calling 150 into a 400 pot needs only about 27% equity, and J6o does well enough against a wide button opening range. That makes it a standard big-blind defend heads-up.

J6 with a backdoor spade draw on a paired low board is weak out of position against the preflop raiser, so I'll check and see how the button acts.

We have an overpair on a paired, two-spade board. A medium continuation bet extracts value from worse pairs and draws while protecting against overcards.

Jack-high with only backdoor draws on a paired board is at the bottom of my defending range. I'd be calling 350 into a 900 pot with poor equity and bad playability, so I fold.

Pocket fives are strong enough to open on the button, and a 2.5-big-blind raise builds the pot while retaining position.

76o from the small blind facing a 2.5bb button open, with the big blind still left to act, is a clear fold. We would be out of position and the hand plays poorly.

Defend the big blind versus the button's small 2.5bb open with Q9 offsuit; the price and heads-up position disadvantage still support a call.

On this paired board, Q-high with a gutshot has modest showdown value but is not strong enough to build a pot. Checking keeps the pot controlled and allows us to react to the button's sizing.

Pocket fives have showdown value on this paired flop, but a bet is unlikely to get called by many worse hands. Checking in position keeps the pot manageable.

A half-pot probe can fold out unpaired overcards and weaker broadway holdings after the flop checks through. Q9 has limited showdown value and useful straight-draw blockers.

The small turn bet gives my pocket fives a reasonable price to continue in position. I can still beat bluffs and some weaker pairs, then reassess on the river.

My missed straight draw has little showdown value. A substantial river bluff can fold out unpaired overcards and some marginal pairs after the turn call.

Fives full of tens is strong enough to raise for value against trips and smaller full houses. A moderate size gives those hands room to call.

Our Q-high has no showdown value on this paired board, and the river raise after our lead is too strong to profitably bluff-catch.

KQo is a strong opening hand on the button in 3-handed play, so I'm raising to 2.5bb to take the initiative.

Jh5h is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still behind.

Pocket eights are strong against a button opening range. A three-bet builds value and can win the pot preflop despite being out of position.

KQo in position against a big-blind 3-bet has enough equity and playability to call at these pot odds; 4-betting would turn it into a bluff against a range that dominates it.

My overpair is vulnerable on this connected, two-spade flop. A modest bet gets value from draws and weaker pairs while denying free cards.

The price is good: I call 850 into 3000, so I need about 22% equity. Two overcards in position against a blind 3-bettor's fairly wide range, which often misses this low board, should clear that.

The turn ten weakens my pocket eights against the opponent's calling range. Checking controls the pot and avoids facing a raise with a marginal hand.

KQ high has showdown equity with 6 outs, but BB's 3-bet range contains many overpairs that won't fold to a bet. Taking the free river card is better than turning my hand into a bluff.

Pocket eights have showdown value, but worse hands are unlikely to call a river bet often enough. Checking also avoids building the pot against straights and stronger pairs.

King-high has almost no showdown value against a 3-bet range that checked twice, since it is mostly AK/AQ and pairs. The clubs and the straight-heavy runout let me represent a strong hand and fold out better unpaired hands and some medium pairs.

Pocket eights are only a bluff-catcher on this river. The sizable bet after a flop call represents enough improved draws and stronger pairs that calling 2600 is unlikely to be profitable.