Hold'em table

Q7 offsuit is playable from the button in a three-handed game, so I’ll open-raise to take initiative while keeping the sizing modest.

Facing a 250 button raise, I must call 200 more with 3-9 offsuit, which needs roughly a third equity against two opponents, and this hand is well below that.

Kd6c is weak preflop and facing a 150 to call after a raise; folding preserves chips against a likely strong range.

Pocket fives on the button facing two blinds is a strong pair to build the pot with, so I'm raising to 300 for value and to thin the field.

7c2c is a weak hand and I'm out of position as the small blind facing a 300 raise; folding preserves chips for better spots.

A7 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button open, and calling keeps the pot manageable with a hand that can be dominated if reraised.

With middle pair and a strong kicker on a connected, two-heart flop, checking keeps the pot controlled and avoids building a pot against the preflop raiser.

With a pair of 5s on a 7-6-Q board I have a weak showdown hand, so I'll take the free card and check behind rather than bloat the pot.

A pair of sevens with an ace kicker has some showdown value, but the queen-high board and opponent’s preflop raise make betting thin. Check to control the pot and see the river.

I hold a pair of 5s with no five on the board, so I have a weak showdown value and no strong reason to bet. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me reach showdown cheaply.

My pair of sevens with an ace kicker has reasonable showdown value, but worse hands are unlikely to call a river bet after the board ran out Q-J-high. I’ll take the free showdown rather than risk value-owning myself against a queen, jack, or stronger pair.

Our pair of fives is weak on this board and seat_1 has checked the river, so checking keeps the pot small and takes the showdown for free.

On the button with Ts5d, I face a 100 chip call after both blinds have entered. This is a weak speculative hand that plays poorly out of position postflop, so folding is the most disciplined preflop decision.

With the button folded, 4♥2♥ is weak but the call is only 50 into a 150-chip pot. Calling gets a favorable price without inflating the pot out of position.

I'm already in the big blind with no bet to call, so checking is free and 7-2 offsuit is too weak to raise profitably.

I have no pair, diamond, or meaningful draw on a coordinated monotone flop, so checking avoids putting chips in with very little equity.

I have a pair of sevens on a 9-7-3 board, which is a medium-strength hand. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me see whether seat_1 bets behind me.

I have no meaningful draw or showdown value, and checking keeps the pot small after both players checked the flop.

I have a pair of sevens on a paired board with no bet to call, so checking to see a free river is the best option.

My hand is weak and has little credible showdown value, but the paired, three-diamond board favors hands that are unlikely to fold to a river bluff. I’ll take the free showdown.

I have two pair (sevens and nines) on the river, which is strong enough to bet for value after seat_1 checked, and a small bet keeps weaker hands calling.

I have only a weak pair of nines from the board, with poor kickers, and no meaningful draw on the river. The small bet is not worth calling with this likely-dominated hand.

Calling completes the pot at a favorable price while keeping position on both blinds. The weak offsuit hand is not worth raising, but can realize equity cheaply.

Facing only 50 chips to call into a 250-chip pot with two opponents, the price is about 5:1, which is enough to justify completing the small blind with this weak but cheap hand.

I am in the big blind and the action is on me with no raise, so checking keeps my option to control the pot size with a small pocket pair.

I have 6-high with no pair on a 3-8-J flop, so I can't profitably bet and checking takes a free card.

I have a pocket pair of fours on a 3h-8h-Js flop with no draw completed; checking keeps the pot small and avoids building a big pot with a weak hand while I'm out of position on the button.

I have a weak middle pair on a two-heart board, so checking behind keeps the pot small and avoids building it against stronger hands.

I hold 2-6 with no pair on a J-Q-8-3 board, so I have little showdown value, but checking is free and keeps the pot small.

The pot is small and the board is coordinated with a possible straight draw; checking keeps the pot controlled and avoids building a big pot with a weak hand. I will see a cheap river and reassess based on the final card.

I have a weak middle pair with a poor kicker on a board with multiple draws. After both opponents checked, taking a free river is preferable to betting into possible stronger hands.

I have 2-6 high with no pair on a paired-free but flush-possible board, and both opponents have checked the river, so checking to see a showdown for free is the lowest-risk line.

The board is King-high with no flush possible, and my pair of fours is likely behind both opponents. Checking allows me to see a cheap showdown and potentially split the pot.

Check to reach showdown without investing more; my pair of eights is a modest hand on this broadway-heavy board.

98 suited is a playable connector on the button, and calling 100 to see a cheap flop is better than folding or bloating the pot out of position.

I have King-high with a backdoor flush draw, which is marginal for a raise. Calling 50 keeps the pot small and lets me see a flop without committing more chips.

Check to see the flop for free; 7♥5♣ is too weak to raise after two limpers.

I have a weak King-high with a backdoor flush draw, and the board is disconnected. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids building a bigger pot with a marginal hand.

I have only a weak gutshot draw and no immediate made hand, so I’ll take the free card rather than build the pot.

Two pair (nines and eights) is strong on this flop, and both opponents checked, so a value bet of about two-thirds pot builds the pot while keeping the hand protected.

The flop is relatively dry with no obvious flush or straight draws hitting my hand. Calling 200 keeps me in the pot with a backdoor flush draw and overcard king, while avoiding a big bluff catch against a likely continuation bet.

Facing a bet and a call, 7-high has only a gutshot to a straight plus a backdoor flush draw. The pot odds are not sufficient to continue profitably.

Board is paired with a flush draw; my Kh kicker is weak and I have no made hand, so I want to see a cheap river. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids putting chips in with a marginal holding.

Two pair, nines and eights, is strong on this board, and seat_3 just checked the turn, so I bet about half the pot for value while protecting against the flush draws.

I have a backdoor flush draw and a gutshot straight draw, so calling is reasonable to see the river without overcommitting. The opponent's turn raise to 400 is moderate, and my stack allows a call while keeping the pot manageable.

Seat 1 folded on the flop, so it's heads-up. My Kh-6h missed the board and I have no showdown value, but checking lets me realize equity cheaply and potentially induce a bluff from seat 2 on the river.

We have two pair (nines and eights) and the action checked to us, so checking keeps the pot small and avoids facing a larger bet from a stronger hand.

I have Ts8d on the button with 100bb stacks. Calling the 100bb big blind is reasonable to see a flop; I'll continue postflop with this suited connector.

94 offsuit is too weak to continue out of position, even at the discounted price. Fold rather than complete or inflate the pot.

I have 4h7h in the big blind with no bet to call, so checking to see the flop is the free, low-risk option with this weak hand.

I have seven-high with no made pair, and checking is free after the checked-around flop, so I take the free card rather than bluff into two opponents.

I have a backdoor straight draw with 8d Ts on a Jh 6d Qs flop, but no current pair. Since checking is free and I'm out of position, I'll see a turn card cheaply and keep the pot small while preserving my stack.

I hold 4-7 with no pair against a paired Q-high board, so I have no strong value and should take the free check rather than bluff into a player who has already checked back.

Board is paired with Qc on turn, and my 8d Ts is a weak ten-high with backdoor straight potential but no current value; checking keeps the pot small and avoids building a bigger pot with a marginal hand.

I have seven-high with no pair on a paired board, and both opponents checked to me, so checking to see the showdown for free is the best option.

Board is paired Queens with a 3d kicker; my 8d-Ts is a weak ten-high that likely loses to any Queen or better. Checking avoids building a bigger pot with a marginal hand and keeps the option to bluff later if needed.