Hold'em table

84o is too weak to open from the button in 3-handed play with two players still to act behind, so folding is standard.

Pocket fives are strong enough to raise heads-up against the big blind, building the pot while retaining a manageable preflop size.

K♦6♣ is a reasonable big-blind defend against a likely wide small-blind opening range, and calling keeps the pot manageable with a dominated, offsuit hand.

With an underpair and little chance to improve on this connected, two-club flop, I prefer to check rather than build the pot out of position.

Take the free turn with king-high and a backdoor club-flush draw; a bluff-raise has little value here.

My underpair has little value on this connected, three-club board. Checking avoids building a pot out of position with few ways to improve.

I have a strong flush draw plus a gutshot, and both players have checked so far. A modest bet can win the pot now while building it when called by a weaker hand.

Pocket fives have little chance to improve on this connected, three-club turn. Calling 400 is unlikely to be profitable against a turn bet.

Nine-seven offsuit is a reasonable button open three-handed. A small raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

A3 offsuit is weak out of position with the big blind still to act, but the raise is modest and the pot odds make a call preferable to folding.

Getting 5:1 on the call (150 into 600) with a suited hand in a multiway pot, and stacks are deep, so it's a profitable defend. I'll play it cautiously postflop.

With top pair but a weak kicker on a dry-looking flop, checking out of position in a multiway pot controls the pot and avoids betting into the preflop raiser and caller.

9-high with only backdoor draws on an ace-high board, out of position with the preflop raiser still to act, so check and give up cheaply if there is pressure.

With middle pair in a three-way pot, a bet is unlikely to get much value from worse hands. Checking in position keeps the pot manageable and lets me see the turn.

I have top two pair on a coordinated turn, so a value bet can get called by weaker aces and draws while charging them to continue. I choose about two-thirds pot after the flop checked through.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker and no real draw faces a two-thirds-pot lead on an ace-high board, with the button still to act behind. That makes calling unprofitable, so I fold.

Middle pair is strong enough to continue against a turn bet after the flop checked through. Calling keeps weaker hands and draws in while letting me reassess on the river.

My two pair is strong, but the river completes several straight and flush draws. I’ll check and avoid building the pot against a range that can contain those hands.

My pair of sevens has some showdown value, but the river completes both a flush and several straights. A bet is unlikely to get called by enough worse hands, so I’ll check.

6-4 offsuit is too weak to open from the button, and calling would invite the blinds to realize equity cheaply. I fold rather than invest in a marginal hand.

A5o is a strong hand blind-versus-blind, so I'm raising for value and initiative. At 3x I also get some fold equity.

J8 suited is strong enough to defend the big blind against a small-blind raise, and calling keeps the pot manageable in position.

On a dry paired board where I have range advantage as the preflop raiser, a small c-bet with ace-high and a backdoor diamond draw works well, mixing value and fold equity.»

Trips with a jack kicker are strong enough to raise for value against overpairs, weaker eights, and diamond draws. The raise also builds the pot while charging draws.

Ace-high with only backdoor draws, out of position against a check-raise on a paired board, will realize too little equity to justify calling 600 into 2200.

AJo on the button in 3-handed play is a strong open, so I'm raising to 2.5bb for value and to take the initiative.

54 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

QTs is strong enough to defend against a button open, and calling keeps weaker hands in while avoiding an unnecessary large pot out of position.

I have top two pair on a heads-up flop, a strong value hand that can charge draws and weaker pairs. A roughly two-thirds-pot bet builds the pot without overcommitting.

AJ on QT5 gives a gutshot to the nut straight plus two overcard-ish outs (A, and J pairs), with good equity against a BB donk range. Calling 350 into 900 is a good price, and a raise would fold out worse hands while keeping in better ones.

The king is a concerning turn card that improves many of the button’s calling hands, while my two pair is still strong enough to continue. I’ll check to control the pot and respond to their action.

We turned the nut Broadway straight. Betting about 70% of the pot gets value from Kx, Qx, two pair and sets, and charges the spade draws that just appeared.

Call with two pair; the turn bet can include bluffs and one-pair hands, and the pot odds are favorable. Raising risks isolating against stronger hands or draws with substantial equity.

My two pair is a reasonable showdown hand, but the opponent’s turn bet and call on a king-high board make a river value bet too thin. I’ll take the free showdown.

We hold the stone nuts with the Broadway straight, and no flush is possible. A roughly 70% pot value bet should get called by two pair, sets and strong top pairs.

My two pair is a strong bluff-catcher, and the missed J9 straight draw gives the opponent plausible bluffs. Calling gets to showdown without risking more against stronger made hands.

On the button in a three-handed, rake-free game, T6 offsuit is a marginal but playable steal. A minimum raise keeps the risk small while giving me position after the flop.

99 is strong enough to 3-bet for value and deny equity, especially against a button open. I use an out-of-position size that pressures the opener while avoiding an unnecessarily large commitment.

A8o facing a button open and a small-blind 3-bet is dominated too often and plays poorly out of position in a multiway pot. Folding is best despite the price.

T6 offsuit is too weak to continue against a sizable three-bet, even with position.

Q9 suited is a profitable button open three-handed; raise to 3 big blinds to take initiative and apply pressure to the blinds.

T7o from the small blind facing a 3bb button open, with the big blind still left to act, is a clear fold: out of position with weak equity and no good way to 3-bet profitably.

KTo is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button raise, but calling avoids inflating the pot out of position.

Top pair with a middling kicker is worth continuing with, but checking out of position lets the preflop raiser act before I commit more chips.

Q-high has little immediate equity and only runner-runner straight or flush possibilities. Check back rather than bluff into a connected flop that can hit the big blind's calling range.

Top pair is likely ahead after the flop checks through. Betting 400 gets value from weaker pairs and charges straight draws.

Q-high has only a gutshot to a ten, giving about 9% river equity from the draw alone. That is not enough to call 400 into a 1050 pot, especially after the delayed turn bet.