Hold'em table

Button open with K-high in a three-handed game; a small raise can win the blinds or retain initiative.

65o out of the small blind facing a 2.5x button open, with the big blind still left to act, is a clear fold. It plays poorly out of position and I'd risk getting squeezed.

8-2 offsuit is too weak to defend the big blind against a 2.5bb button raise, especially when I'll be out of position postflop.

Three-handed on the button, J6o sits near the bottom of a wide opening range. A small open steals the blinds often enough to be profitable.

Q4 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

7-4 offsuit is too weak to defend against a button raise from the big blind, especially out of position.

96 offsuit is too weak to open from the button with both blinds still in the hand.

Complete from the small blind with suited T7 heads-up; it has sufficient equity and realizes reasonably well in a limped pot.

T5 offsuit is weak; after the small blind limps, checking my option to see a free flop in position is better than raising.

With only a gutshot to Broadway and little showdown value on this highly coordinated board, checking back preserves equity in the limped pot.

A half-pot semi-bluff with a gutshot to Broadway and a spade that turns a flush; the small limp-pot bet can fold out weak unpaired hands while keeping my risk low. SB checked, so I'm taking the initiative.

With no spade, no made pair, and only a fragile gutshot on a monotone board, calling the flop bet is unlikely to be profitable.

2-6 offsuit is a very weak button opening hand and should be folded rather than entering a multiway pot.

QTs is a strong hand in a blind-vs-blind spot, so raising to 3x for value and initiative beats limping out of position.

K9 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind against a small-blind raise, and calling keeps the pot manageable in position.

QTo with no pair and no draw on an A32 two-tone board is a weak hand out of position against the BB's calling range, which contains many aces and wheel draws. Checking keeps the pot small and leaves room to give up or bluff later.

I have king-high and only a backdoor spade draw. With no bet to face, I'll check and see the turn for free.

With only a weak gutshot and no spade on a flush-completing turn, betting out of position has poor fold equity against a range that checked back the flop. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me realize my draw.

After the preflop raiser checks twice, a turn bet can fold out better unpaired hands and weak pairs. The 9♠ also gives me a flush draw if called.

With only a gutshot, one out of which pairs the board with the spade K, and no spade or pair, calling 400 into 1000 needs about 29% equity, which we don't have. Our range can't credibly raise as a bluff either.

T5 offsuit is at the bottom of the button opening range in 3-handed play, and a fold is the standard, low-variance play against two blinds that still have to act.

Completing the small blind costs 50 into a 150-chip pot. With no rake, 5-4 offsuit is worth seeing a flop heads-up at that price.

K6 offsuit is a marginal big-blind hand versus a completed small blind; checking realizes equity without inflating the pot.

I have a gutshot straight draw but no pair or flush draw. Checking keeps the pot small with this weak hand.

A small continuation-style stab can fold out unpaired hands and weak holdings while risking little. K-high has limited showdown value on this coordinated board.

I have only a gutshot straight draw and weak pair outs. Calling 100 into a 300-chip pot doesn't offer enough value, especially out of position.

7-5 offsuit is too weak to open from the button against two opponents at 100 big blinds.

As3o is strong enough heads-up from the small blind versus the big blind. Raising applies pressure and can win the blind or realize equity in position postflop.

In the big blind against a small-blind raise to 3bb, I need to call 200 to win a pot of 600, so I need about 33% equity. 95 suited has enough equity and playability in position to call rather than fold.

I flopped the nut straight on a coordinated board and should bet for value while charging pairs, draws, and weaker made hands.

I have an open-ended straight draw (any ace or six), with a backdoor heart draw and position, getting about 30% pot odds. Calling is profitable, while raising would bloat the pot against a range that often has me beaten.

I will apply pressure on this coordinated board, credibly representing a five or a strong made hand while retaining some showdown value with my pair.

We hold a 6-high straight that loses only to 75. Raising extracts value from overpairs, sets and two pair, and makes draws pay.

Facing a large turn raise on this highly connected board, my weak pair and mostly non-clean draws lack sufficient equity to continue.