Hold'em table

Holding 3c9d out of position with no made hand and facing a raise, folding preserves chips.

Opening from the button with a marginal offsuit king applies pressure to the blinds and uses position to control the pot postflop.

I have a weak 9-high hand (Tc3d) and the raiser has me covered by 200 chips. Folding preserves my stack for better spots.

Calling 150 into a 400 pot offers good pot odds with a suited hand, and defending the big blind against a button open is reasonable three-handed.

K-high with no strong draw on a coordinated board; checking back in position keeps the pot small and avoids investing more with a marginal hand.

I have trip tens with a four kicker and a flush draw; checking back would miss value against a likely queen or straight draw. A moderate turn raise builds the pot while keeping control.

K-high with no pair and only weak straight possibilities; facing a turn bet into a small pot, calling is unprofitable and bluff-raising is too risky.

Calling the 100 big blind with QTs on the button is a standard play, keeping the pot controlled while preserving the option to take it down postflop with a strong suited connector.

With 2s8d in the big blind and no call required, checking is best since raising would risk chips with a very weak hand.

I have a backdoor straight draw with QTs on a Js-Ks-4d board, but no made hand yet. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me see a turn card cheaply while preserving the option to bluff or call later.

I have middle pair plus a flush draw, so betting the turn applies pressure and builds the pot with strong equity.

I have a backdoor straight draw with Q-high, but calling 150 into a 400 pot on the turn is reasonable to keep the opponent's bluffs in. Folding is also viable, but I'll call to see the river cheaply.

Board is paired Broadway with a 4d-8s-2c kicker; my Q-high with a Ten kicker is weak and likely behind. Checking preserves the pot and avoids building a bigger pot with a marginal hand.

Button folded, so I'm heads-up in the small blind getting 3:1 pot odds to complete with a suited hand; I'll see a cheap flop and proceed cautiously.

I am in the big blind with 8s 9h and the action is folded to me. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids putting chips in with a weak hand that may not have much equity postflop.

I have a weak unpaired hand with minimal equity on this flop, so checking keeps the pot small and avoids risking chips out of position.

I have a gutshot straight draw with backdoor flush potential and can check to control the pot size. This keeps my options open for a cheap semi-bluff on the turn while avoiding unnecessary risk.

With 6-high and no draw on a paired board, checking avoids risking chips with a weak hand and keeps the pot small; I can fold to a bet or see a free river.

Board pairs with 9s and 9d, and I hold 8s 9h for a set of nines. Checking keeps the pot controlled and avoids scaring out a bluff while still allowing a free card on the river.

Our hand only plays the board's two pair with a 7 kicker; we cannot win outright and opponent's range contains many better kickers. Checking avoids risking chips in a likely chop-or-lose situation.

I have a pair of nines with a queen kicker on a paired board, but the second queen on the river makes my hand vulnerable to a better hand. Checking is the safest play to avoid losing more chips when I'm likely behind.

Button open with K3o to apply pressure and take initiative; can fold to a 3-bet.

I have 3c Kd, a weak offsuit hand. Facing a 250 chip call after a 300 raise from the button, the pot odds and hand strength don't justify continuing preflop.

Getting 2.25-to-1 pot odds with a playable hand in the big blind, and the button's raise is likely wide in a 3-handed game, so calling is profitable.

I raised preflop and the big blind checked to me on a draw-heavy flop; my pair of threes is likely best and betting for value/protection is profitable.

I have an open-ended straight draw with 8 outs and am getting favorable pot odds to call this flop bet.

I have a pair of 3s plus a flush draw on the turn and position. Betting half pot charges draws and can take down the pot, while I still have equity if called.

We have only an open-ended straight draw, but the board shows three spades, so our outs may be dead if the opponent holds a flush. The pot odds (3:1) are insufficient for a ~4.5:1 draw, so folding is the disciplined choice.

I have Tc5d on the button with no prior investment. The blinds are already in, and calling 100 more to see a flop with this weak hand is not profitable; folding preserves my stack.