Hold'em table

8-2 offsuit is too weak to call or raise from the button against a live big blind.

T5 suited has enough playability to complete the small blind at a favorable price heads-up. Avoid inflating the pot with a weak hand out of position.

With 9-7 offsuit against a small-blind limp, I can see a flop for free and play in position without building the pot with a marginal hand.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker is a marginal showdown hand on an ace-high, two-spade board. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids being raised off equity.

Middle pair is often ahead of a small-blind limping range. A modest bet gets value from weaker pairs and charges spade draws.

Bottom pair is weak, but the 130-chip bet is small relative to the pot and the opponent can have draws or bluffs. Calling gives reasonable pot odds while keeping the pot controlled.

I have only a weak third pair on a two-tone board, with no strong draw. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids building it against the opponent’s flop raise.

Middle pair with a weak kicker has showdown value, but a second bet is unlikely to get called by many worse made hands. Checking controls the pot and keeps weaker hands and draws in.

I have only a weak pair, and the river completes the spade flush draw. Checking preserves showdown value rather than risking a bluff into a pot that may contain a stronger hand.

Middle pair has showdown value, but a river bet is unlikely to be called by many worse hands on this flush-completing board.

KTo is a strong button-open in a three-handed game. Raise to 2.5 big blinds to take initiative while keeping weaker hands in.

Offsuit 5-4 is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

Q4o is too weak to continue against a button open; folding saves chips versus calling or 3-betting.

J7 suited is a profitable button open three-handed, and a 2.5 big blind raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

84 suited is too weak to continue out of position against a button open, with the big blind still to act.

The price is favorable against a wide button opening range, and calling keeps the pot manageable with this weak offsuit hand.

I have no made hand and only a weak draw, so I’ll take the free option and avoid building the pot.

I have a gutshot straight draw and a backdoor club draw. A small continuation bet can fold out overcards while keeping the cost of a bluff modest.

I have only a gutshot to a six, with no flush draw or meaningful pair equity. Calling 180 into the pot is not justified by my immediate draw odds.

Button open with suited 97 in three-handed; a 3x raise builds the pot with position and fold equity.

98 suited has enough playability to defend the small blind against a button open, and calling avoids inflating the pot out of position with a speculative hand.

Calling 200 closes the preflop action at a favorable price. A7 offsuit is playable here, but not strong enough to build a large pot out of position.

I have a modest middle pair with a weak kicker in a three-way pot, so checking keeps the pot controlled and lets the preflop raiser act.

With ace-high on a three-way flop, I prefer to check and avoid building the pot out of position.

Both opponents checked a queen-high flop, so a small one-third-pot bet with middle pair can fold out ace-high and weak draws while keeping the pot manageable with a bad kicker.

Bottom pair is too weak to raise, but the small bet offers favorable pot odds and can still be ahead of overcard bluffs. Call and proceed cautiously with the big blind still behind.

Ace-high has few reliable ways to improve on this flop, and a bet plus a call in a three-way pot makes continuing unattractive.

I have only a weak middle pair on an ace-high, three-spade board, so betting risks building a pot against a stronger range. I’ll check and evaluate the river or respond to a bet.

I have a weak pair of nines on an ace-queen board and the caller checked. Checking preserves showdown value rather than betting into a likely stronger range.

With only a pair of nines on a connected, three-spade board, a river bet is unlikely to get called by worse. Check and take the showdown value.

I have only a weak pair of nines on an ace-queen board with a possible flush, and the opponent has shown little strength by checking. There is no value in betting, so I check for a free showdown.

Pocket fours are a reasonable button open in a three-handed game. Raising to 250 applies pressure to the blinds while keeping the sizing modest.

T4 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

34o is too weak to continue against a button open; folding saves the remaining stack for better spots.

Pocket nines are a strong button opening hand three-handed. Raising to 250 builds the pot while preserving flexibility postflop.

24 offsuit is too weak to continue against a button open; folding saves chips.

J5 offsuit is a marginal but defensible big-blind call against a small button raise, especially with the pot odds and no rake. I’ll avoid bloating the pot out of position.

With only a five-high backdoor club draw and no pair on a coordinated ace-high flop, checking is preferable to building the pot.

On an ace-king monotone flop, pocket nines without a club have little value to gain from betting. Checking preserves the pot and my showdown value.

I have no made hand, and my only meaningful draw is a ten for Broadway. With no bet to call, checking keeps the pot small and gives me a chance to improve on the river.

Pocket nines have some showdown value, but this coordinated board strongly favors hands that would call a bet. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids turning a medium-strength hand into a bluff.

With only jack-high, checking is unlikely to win at showdown. A small river bluff can pressure missed draws and weak pocket pairs, while my jack blocks some broadway combinations.

The river bet is small relative to the pot, and my nines can beat missed draws and some thin bets with weaker pairs. Calling costs 250 to contest an 800-chip pot.