Hold'em table

Q8 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed. A 2.5-big-blind raise pressures the blinds while keeping the investment modest.

A3 offsuit is a reasonable blocker-based 3-bet bluff against a button open, and raising from the small blind may deny the big blind an easy entry. I use a substantial size to apply pressure while keeping the risk controlled.

62o is far too weak to continue against an open and a 3-bet from the small blind, and the pot odds don't justify a call.

Q8 offsuit is too weak to defend against this large three-bet, even in position.

As the button in a three-handed game, a small open can win the blinds and keeps me in position. The minimum raise limits the cost with a weak offsuit hand.

AQo is well ahead of a 3-handed button min-raise range, so 3-betting from the small blind for value and initiative beats flatting out of position. Sizing to 800 (4x the open) charges both opponents without bloating the pot too much.

Seven-five offsuit is too weak to continue against a substantial three-bet, especially with the original raiser still in the hand.

T-3 offsuit is far too weak to continue against a large three-bet, even with position. Fold and preserve the stack.

A3 suited on the button in a 3-handed game is a clear open-raise, so I'm going to 2.5bb to steal the blinds with good playability.

Q9 offsuit has enough equity against a button opening range to defend at this price. Calling avoids building a large pot out of position with a marginal hand.

Calling is justified by the favorable pot odds and the fact that this closes the preflop action. Raising 9-7 offsuit would be too ambitious against both players.

Middle pair on an ace-high flop is a modest showdown hand in a three-way pot. Checking avoids building the pot out of position and lets me assess the opponents' actions.

I have a modest middle pair with a weak kicker in a multiway pot, so checking avoids building the pot while preserving my chance to continue.

Top pair with a weak kicker plus a backdoor wheel and flush draw, on a dry board checked to me in position. A half-pot bet takes value from worse aces, nines and fives and denies equity to draws.

Middle pair with a queen kicker is strong enough to continue against a half-pot flop bet, though not strong enough to raise with the big blind still to act.

Facing a flop bet and a call on an ace-high board, my weak middle pair is unlikely to have enough equity against two ranges. I fold rather than continue with poor implied odds.

Two pair is strong, but checking out of position lets the preflop raiser continue betting weaker aces and bluffs. I can value-raise if they bet.

A3 is top pair with a weak kicker. Most Ax hands that called the flop beat us, and the queen improves some of the villain's range, so I'll check back to control the pot and get to showdown cheaply.

Queens and nines are strong enough to value bet after the turn checks through. A moderate river bet can get called by weaker queens and one-pair aces.

Top pair with a weak kicker has good bluff-catching value. Calling 850 to win 2350 needs only about 27% equity, and villain's range includes missed draws and weaker pairs.

K2 offsuit is a marginal but playable button open three-handed. A minimum raise keeps the investment small while giving me position after the flop.

88 is a strong hand three-handed; a sizable three-bet pressures the button's wide opening range and discourages the big blind from entering cheaply while retaining room to fold to a very strong response.

A2 offsuit is too weak to call a 3-bet from the small blind with the original raiser still left to act behind me, and it plays poorly out of position. Folding and keeping the 1bb loss small is best.

K2 offsuit is too weak to defend against this large three-bet, despite having position.

T9 suited is a strong button opening hand in a three-handed game. Raise to 2.5 big blinds to take initiative while keeping the sizing modest.

52 suited out of the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still to act, is too weak to call or 3-bet profitably. Folding is standard.

K9 offsuit has enough equity against a typical button opening range to defend the big blind for 150 chips, though it is not strong enough to value-raise.

King-high has some showdown value on this paired flop, but not enough to bet for value. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me respond to the button's action.

I have a gutshot and backdoor heart-flush potential, so checking back preserves those outs without inflating the pot with a weak high-card hand.

The ace favors the preflop raiser's range, and my king-high hand has limited equity. Checking avoids building a pot out of position with a weak draw.

The ace is a favorable scare card for my preflop range, and the flop checked through. A small turn bet can fold out weaker hands while retaining some equity if called.

The small turn bet gives favorable pot odds with a club draw and some chance that king-high is already ahead.

King-high has some showdown value against missed draws. A river bluff is unlikely to fold out many aces, sevens, or flushes that called the turn.

With T-high and no meaningful draw, a bluff is unlikely to get better hands such as an ace or a pair of sevens to fold. I’ll take the free showdown rather than risk chips against a range that called the turn.

JTs on the button in 3-handed play is a clear opening hand, so I'm raising to 2.5bb to take the initiative and put pressure on the blinds.

Q2 offsuit is too weak to call a button raise from the small blind with the big blind still to act.

K-high has sufficient showdown and top-pair potential heads-up against a button open, and the pot odds make a big-blind defend reasonable.

Top two pair is very strong on this dry, rainbow board. I’ll check to let the preflop raiser continuation-bet so I can build the pot against their wider betting range.

A dry K-high board favors the button raiser's range, so a small c-bet with JTs (backdoor draws, some overcard equity) is profitable against a checking big blind.Small sizing keeps the bluff cheap.

I have two pair on a relatively dry board, strong enough to continue against this small bet. Calling keeps bluffs and weaker made hands in the pot while avoiding an unnecessary raise that could isolate me against better hands.

I have two pair and should take value from Kx while charging heart draws and straight-draw hands. A 550-chip turn bet is substantial without bloating the pot unnecessarily.

The price is 550 to win 2010, so I need about 27% equity. Second pair with a jack kicker in position does well enough against a donk-bet range that includes draws and weaker tens, and it keeps five outs against Kx.

My two pair is strong enough to seek value from one-pair kings and other weaker hands. A modest river bet limits exposure on a card that completes some straight draws.

Middle pair is getting over 4:1 against a small river lead, and villain's range still includes missed heart draws and weaker tens. Calling needs only about 20% equity, so folding would be too tight and raising only gets called by better hands.