Hold'em table

Pocket aces on the button, first to act; a standard 2.5bb open builds the pot while still getting action from wider ranges.

8-6 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

Q2 offsuit is too weak to defend profitably against the button open from the big blind.

On the button, Q6 offsuit is a marginal but playable steal against two blinds. A small raise takes advantage of position while limiting the investment.

Calling from the small blind with suited-ish connected 87 provides playable multiway equity at a modest price, while avoiding inflation out of position.

Getting 150 to win 600 (4:1), KTo is plenty to defend multiway from the big blind, but it's too weak to squeeze into a raise and a caller.

With bottom pair in a three-way pot and no immediate strong draw, I check to control the pot and evaluate later action.

KT on QJ7 gives an open-ended straight draw plus an overcard, so I'm betting two-thirds pot as a semi-bluff. It builds the pot for a strong draw and earns fold equity against both opponents.

Top pair is strong enough to continue against a half-pot flop bet. Calling keeps weaker hands and bluffs in while avoiding a costly raise with a weak kicker.

Bottom pair plus a gutshot has enough equity to continue against this relatively small multiway flop bet, especially closing the action.

With a weak pair in a three-way pot after both opponents called the flop, checking controls the pot and avoids betting into likely stronger made hands.

I have an open-ended straight draw with K-high, but both opponents called the flop, so fold equity is low in this three-way pot. Checking lets me try to realize my equity cheaply and see a free river if the button checks behind.

Top pair with a weak kicker has showdown value, but betting into two opponents after the flop action risks building a pot against better queens. Checking in position controls the pot and lets me reassess on the river.

I have a full house, queens full of sevens, after the river pairs the queen. A substantial value bet can be called by trips, lower full houses, and strong bluff-catchers.

I only have king-high after missing the straight draw. Facing a lead of about 37% of the pot on a paired board where the flush just completed, with another player still to act, calling can't win often enough.

Trip queens are strong enough to call the river bet, but my weak kicker and the completed club flush make a value raise too risky.

K7 offsuit is a profitable button open in three-handed play, leveraging position and initiative. I use the minimum raise size to keep risk low.

Q5o from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still to act, is a clear fold: the hand is dominated too often and plays out of position.

QTo is strong enough to defend the big blind against a small button raise, but not strong enough to routinely three-bet out of position.

I have two overcards but no strong draw. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me see how the preflop raiser acts.

Bet small with two overcards and an open-ended straight draw, while applying pressure to the big blind's unpaired hands.

The small flop bet gives a good price to continue with two overcards. The button can also bet this paired board with hands that Q-high currently beats.

Queen-high has little showdown value and no strong draw. Checking avoids building a pot out of position while preserving the option to respond to a bet.

With only king-high on a paired board after being called on the flop, checking back preserves showdown value and avoids facing unnecessary resistance.

Q-high has little showdown value. After the turn checks through, a river bet can pressure unpaired overcards and represent the many 4x hands in my big-blind range that made a straight.

I have a seven-high straight, which beats the likely four-high straight and trips from this line. A value raise can be called by worse made hands while retaining some fold equity.

Queen-high has little showdown value against a river raise, and calling 1,100 chips is not justified.

QTo on the button in a 3-handed game is a clear open-raise, so I'm going to 2.5bb.

Q9 offsuit has enough equity against a button opening range to defend at this price, though I should play cautiously out of position.

9c3c is a very weak big-blind defend versus a raise and cold call, with poor realization multiway. Folding preserves chips.

With top pair on a dry paired board, I can check to the preflop raiser and keep weaker hands in the pot.

Top pair on a dry paired board in position against a small-blind caller who checked. A small c-bet of a third pot gets value from worse queens, underpairs and floats, and denies equity to overcards. ok. Hmm fine. ok. ok. ok. ok. ok. ok. ok. ok. ok. ok. ok. ok. ok. ok. ok. ok.

Top pair is strong against a small continuation bet, but raising would often fold out weaker hands while getting action from better queens. Calling keeps bluffs in.

I have top pair with a weak kicker on a paired board. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me assess my opponent's turn action.

Top pair with a gutshot draw on a paired board after the SB check-called the flop; a medium bet gets value from Jx, weaker Qx, and draws while protecting my hand. Worse hands can still pay and I keep the pot controlled.

Top pair is strong enough to continue against this modest turn bet, especially with the opponent's wide button range and possible draws.

My queen makes two pair, but this paired river leaves few worse hands likely to call a bet. Checking keeps the pot controlled and lets me evaluate a bet from the opponent.

We have queens and jacks with a ten kicker, which is decent showdown value but thin. Villain's calling range is full of better Qx, jacks, overpairs and trips, so a value bet mostly gets called by better hands, and checking back is best.

On the button in a three-handed, rake-free game, 5-4 offsuit is playable as a small open thanks to position and its straight potential.

2h3c offsuit is a very weak hand facing an open raise from the small blind, so folding preserves chips.

AQo is well ahead of a wide 3-handed button opening range, so a 3-bet for value is standard. Sizing it larger helps offset being out of position.

Offsuit 5-4 is too weak to call an 800-chip three-bet, even with position.

A suited? No—Ad3h is a weak offsuit ace, but on the button it can profitably open at a small size against the blinds.

The button opened and I have 9-4 offsuit in the small blind, out of position with the big blind still left to act. That hand is too weak to call or 3-bet profitably, so I fold.

T7 offsuit is a marginal but reasonable big-blind defend against a button min-plus open, especially with the small blind's dead money in the pot.

Ten-high has little showdown value and few ways to improve on this paired flop. Checking avoids investing more chips out of position against the preflop raiser.

Betting in position applies pressure to a capped checking range and can fold out unpaired holdings. The ace blocker also makes representing a queen more credible.

T7 has little showdown value and no meaningful draw on this paired flop. Calling out of position against the preflop raiser is unlikely to be profitable.