Hold'em table

Holding 42o on the button is far too weak to open or limp, making this an easy fold.

Calling costs only 50 chips into a 150-chip pot, and this blind-versus-blind spot gives 8-5 offsuit enough incentive to see a flop rather than make a costly raise out of position.

Pocket sevens play well heads-up against a limper; a small raise builds the pot with a decent pair while keeping the range wide enough to get action.

8♦5♥ is a weak offsuit hand, and calling the raise would leave me out of position against a likely wide but still substantial raising range.

A5 offsuit is a reasonable button opening hand, and raising applies pressure to the blinds while taking initiative.

9-4 offsuit is far too weak to call a 2.5x raise out of position with two players left to act behind me. Folding preserves chips for better spots.

Getting attractive pot odds in the big blind with a strong suited connector against a button open, calling is standard.

Flopped two pair out of position against the preflop raiser on an Ace-high board; checking allows the aggressor to continuation-bet their wide range.

I have top pair and should get value from weaker pairs and draws while denying equity to connected hands. A small bet keeps the pot manageable with my weak kicker.

Flopped bottom two pair on an Ace-high board with flush and straight draws; raising for value and protection against Ax and drawing hands.

Top pair is likely ahead of some draws and bluffs, and the price is reasonable. Calling keeps the pot manageable while avoiding a reraise with a weak kicker.

The jack of hearts connects well with the opponent's flop-calling range, improving hands like AJ, JJ, and T9 while leaving my bottom two pair vulnerable, so checking to pot control is prudent.

I have top pair and the turn check gives me a chance to get value from weaker aces and draws while charging them to continue. A modest bet keeps worse hands in and limits the risk against stronger holdings.

We hold two pair (eights and sevens) on a board of 8c 7s Ac Jh. Calling 650 into a 2440 pot gives excellent pot odds, keeps the opponent's bluffs and single-pair value bets in, and avoids overcommitting against turned sets or higher two pairs.

Our two pair on an A-K-J-8-7 board is marginal and easily beat by higher two pairs or straights, so checking to see showdown or face a decision is optimal.

I have top pair with a weak kicker, but the flop check-raise and turn call indicate a strong range. I’ll take the showdown rather than risk a value bet into two pair or better.

42o is the worst hand in hold'em; folding from the button costs nothing and preserves chips for better spots.

ATo is well ahead of an average BvB range, making a standard 3bb open raise profitable against the big blind.

7♠5♠ is playable heads-up from the big blind, and the price is reasonable against a small-blind raise. I’ll call and see the flop.

I hold top pair with top kicker on a relatively dry board and am continuation-betting half the pot for value against weaker tens, middle pairs, and draw floats.

I have no pair or immediate straight draw, and only a backdoor flush draw. Calling 300 is not justified against the bet.

T8o is too weak of an offsuit hand to profitably open from the button, so folding is the disciplined play.

With the button folded, completing from the small blind is a cheap heads-up price against the big blind. T3 offsuit is weak, so I’ll avoid raising.

74o is very weak, but checking from the big blind costs nothing and lets me see a free flop. I can fold cheaply if I miss.

With only ten-high and no meaningful draw on a connected board, checking avoids building a pot with a weak hand.

I flopped two pair (sevens and fours) in position against a limper who checked; betting ~3/4 pot builds the pot and charges one-card eights and straight draws.

I have no pair and only a remote runner-runner straight draw, so calling the flop bet is not justified.

Q9 offsuit is a reasonable button open in a three-handed game. I’m raising to 2.5 big blinds to take the initiative while keeping the size modest.

Queen-six offsuit is too weak to defend the small blind against a 2.5x raise, especially out of position with a capped range. Folding is the clear profitable play.

T6o is too weak to defend out of position against a 2.5x button open.

QTo is a standard open-raise from the button 3-handed; I'll take the initiative and play for the pot in position.

Q6s is too weak to defend out of position from the small blind against a button open, especially with the big blind still to act.

J7 offsuit is marginal, but the button’s small raise and the pot odds make defending from the big blind reasonable.

I have no pair or meaningful draw on a paired king-high flop, so checking keeps the pot small and lets the preflop raiser act.

I have no pair or meaningful draw, and checking keeps the pot small while preserving the chance to improve on the river.

With only jack-high, checking is unlikely to win at showdown. A small river bluff can fold out some unpaired hands after the opponent checked back twice.