Hold'em table

K3 suited is a profitable button open three-handed, and a 2.5 big blind raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

J5o is far too weak to defend out of position against a button open.

Getting 2.7:1 pot odds from the big blind with a suited hand, so defending against a likely wide button open is profitable. J6s has enough equity to continue, though I will proceed cautiously postflop.

Middle pair with a weak kicker on a draw-heavy board; checking to control the pot and see the preflop raiser's action.

With king-high and little chance to improve on this flop, I prefer to check in position rather than bluff into a board the big blind can connect with.

I have trips with Jc6c on a 5s Ts 6h 6s board. Betting for value and to charge flush/straight draws.

King-high has little chance to improve on this paired, three-spade board, and calling the turn bet is unlikely to be profitable.

J2o is far too weak to open or call from the button, even 3-handed. Folding is standard.

Button folded, so completing the small blind with a suited connector is cheap and I have good pot odds to see a flop against the big blind.

With a weak suited hand and no additional chips to call, I can see the flop for free.

With 4d3d on a T-6-7 flop, I have no pair and only weak backdoor potential. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids building a pot out of position with air.

After the small blind checks, a small bet can win the pot against unpaired hands. My suited hand also has some backdoor potential if called.

I have only a gutshot with 4-high and poor direct odds; calling 100 into 300 out of position is not profitable without reliable implied odds.

With 6-7 offsuit on the button in a 3-handed game, raising is a standard steal/opening play to apply pressure and take the initiative with position. The hand has enough playability if called, and folding is too tight given the button's wide opening range.

Pocket nines are strong enough to three-bet against a button open. Raising from the small blind also avoids inviting the big blind into a cheap multiway pot.

Holding Q7o facing an open and a large 3-bet from the small blind is an easy fold.

Facing a large small-blind 3-bet with 7-6 offsuit, my hand is too weak and dominated to continue profitably despite position. Folding avoids putting in another 750 chips with poor equity.

KJo is strong enough to open on the button three-handed. A 2.5-big-blind raise builds the pot while keeping the sizing controlled.

ATo is strong against a button opening range 3-handed; 3-betting out of position gains initiative and denies equity to the big blind.

Q5o is too weak to continue against a button raise and a 10bb three-bet, so folding avoids playing a dominated hand out of position.

KJo is strong enough to continue against a small blind three-bet in a three-handed game. Calling keeps the pot manageable and lets me play in position.

On a wet flop of Th-9c-Qc that hits the caller's range well, checking our second pair with Ace kicker is the standard play to pot control out of position.

I flopped the nut straight on a board with flush and full-house redraws. A substantial bet builds the pot and charges hands that can improve.

Second pair with Ace kicker is in poor shape on this highly connected Q-T-9 two-tone board against a large flop bet.

T2o is far too weak to open profitably, even on the button in 3-handed play. Standard fold.

Completing for 50 more into a 150 pot gives 3:1, and I can fold to a raise or play cautiously postflop.

A-T offsuit is strong against a small-blind limp, and raising builds the pot while retaining position after the flop.

T4o is too weak to continue out of position against a big blind raise; I'm folding rather than chasing a marginal call.

K2o is weak but we have position and good pot odds to see a flop for 100. Folding seems too tight in a 3-handed game.

A6 offsuit is worth completing for 50 chips against a button limp, but raising would build a larger pot out of position with a marginal hand.

I have K6o in the big blind facing two limpers; checking to see a free flop is the standard and most plus-EV play.

Top pair is likely ahead in this limped pot. A modest bet gets value from weaker pairs and charges diamond draws.

Holding King-high with only a gutshot on an ace-high board facing a bet with another player yet to act is an easy fold.

My K2 has only a gutshot and backdoor flush draw on an Ace-high board. Facing a 200 bet into 500, pot odds are insufficient against a likely Ace, so I fold.