Hold'em table

Q9 suited is a clear button open three-handed, with good postflop playability and position. Raising to 2.5 big blinds pressures the blinds while keeping the investment modest.

KTo is strong enough to defend against a button open in a three-handed game, but calling avoids bloating the pot out of position with an offsuit hand.

Getting a strong price from the big blind with connected cards in a multiway pot, so I will defend rather than fold or inflate the pot.

Bet 400 for value and protection with top pair and a strong kicker on a coordinated, two-spade flop. The sizing charges draws while keeping the pot manageable multiway.

I have an open-ended straight draw and the small flop sizing gives reasonable implied odds with deep stacks. Calling keeps weaker hands and potential future value in the pot without inflating it multiway.

Middle pair without a spade or a strong backdoor draw is marginal against a multiway lead and call. Despite the favorable immediate pot odds, our improvement outs are not always clean and future pressure will make realizing equity difficult.

Bet for value and protection with top pair and a strong kicker; the connected, two-tone board gives the opponent many draws, so I want to charge them without overcommitting.

I have a made ten-high straight and should continue, but a raise risks isolating against a jack or stronger straight from this betting line. Calling keeps weaker made hands and draws in while preserving flexibility on the river.

I have a modest pair of tens, but the river completes the heart draw and several straight possibilities. Checking preserves showdown value without risking a bet into a range that called both flop and turn.

With a modest pair of eights after the opponent checks, showdown value is preferable to turning it into a thin bluff against their turn-betting range.

With a small pair on the button, opening for a modest raise can win the blinds and build a pot when ahead. I’ll keep the sizing controlled against the blinds.

9-7 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still to act.

86 offsuit has weak equity realization out of position against a 2.5bb button open. Its limited playability makes folding preferable to a marginal defense without an opponent-specific read.

A5 suited is a strong button opening hand three-handed, with positional advantage and nut-flush potential. I raise to apply pressure and build a pot.

K2 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a 3bb button raise, with the big blind still to act. Its poor playability and domination risk make folding preferable.

7♣5♥ is a weak offsuit hand against a 3x button raise. The call price is not enough to compensate for its poor equity realization out of position.

83 offsuit is too weak to open profitably on the button without evidence that the blinds overfold. Folding avoids investing in a hand with poor equity and playability.

75 suited has enough equity to complete for half a big blind, and folding would give up favorable pot odds. I’ll keep the pot small out of position.

Ah-Kc is a premium hand; I raise the limp for value and to deny equity while playing heads-up.

75 suited is too weak to continue out of position against a substantial raise, even with the pot odds. I avoid committing more chips with a hand that will often be dominated or miss the flop.

On the button in a three-handed game, 9-6 offsuit is playable as an open raise. A minimum-sized raise pressures the blinds while limiting the cost with a marginal hand.

Q3 suited is too weak to defend from the small blind against an early 2x open in a three-handed game.

Q8 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button min-raise, with only 100 to call into a 350 pot. Calling takes the favorable price without inflating the pot out of position.

Q8 has no pair or immediate straight draw on this dry, king-high flop, which favors the preflop raiser. Check out of position rather than invest chips in a low-equity lead.

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

Q-high has little equity and no direct draw, while this blank turn does not strongly favor my range. I check rather than force a bluff when stronger draws make better betting candidates.

A pair of sixes with a weak kicker is unlikely to get called by worse hands for value, and checking preserves showdown value without building the pot.

Our rivered pair has reasonable showdown value, but a bet gets limited calls from worse while running into checked-back tens and stronger pairs. Checking preserves that value and lets the opponent bluff missed draws.

I have a weak pair of sixes with a nine kicker. Checking preserves showdown value; a bet is unlikely to get called by many worse hands.

J7 suited has reasonable button playability three-handed and can profit from stealing the blinds. A small open preserves flexibility if called or reraised.

Pocket eights are strong against a typical button opening range. A substantial three-bet discourages the big blind from joining and compensates for playing out of position.

T♦3♥ is a weak offsuit hand with poor playability, and calling 9.5 big blinds against a large three-bet is unprofitable.

J7 offsuit is too weak to continue against a large 3-bet, especially out of position heads-up.