Hold'em table

With 7-8 offsuit on the button, calling the small blind is cheap and keeps the pot manageable while seeing a flop in position.

Completing costs only 50 chips against a button limp. T5 offsuit is weak, so I’ll keep the pot small and reassess on the flop.

Checking with a low pocket pair out of position in a limped multiway pot allows us to set-mine for free without bloating the pot.

Middle pair with a weak kicker is a modest hand on an ace-high, two-heart flop. Checking keeps the pot manageable against two opponents.

I have an underpair on an ace-high board in a multiway limped pot, so checking for free is the standard play.

With 8-high and no pair or strong draw on an ace-high flop, checking behind is best; there is no value in betting into two opponents.

Middle pair and a flush draw have useful showdown value, but betting into two players on this board risks facing a raise. Checking keeps the pot manageable and may let me see the river cheaply.

Holding bottom underpair on a broadway-heavy flush board, there is little showdown value and bluffing multiway is low equity. Checking for free.

Both opponents checked flop and turn on a board that likely misses them; a 2/3-pot bet from the button can take the pot down, and I can shut down if called.

I have a pair of tens and a heart draw, giving me enough potential to improve to call the 200-chip bet. I’ll keep the pot small with the big blind still to act.

I hold bottom pair with pocket threes on an Ace-King-Ten board with two opponents showing interest; this is an easy fold.

My pair of tens has showdown value, but on this board a river bet is unlikely to get called by many worse hands. Checking avoids turning it into a bluff.

My hand has no showdown value, so I'm turning it into a bluff to fold out opponent's weak pairs and missed draws. The river check shows weakness, making a bet profitable.

A pair of tens is weak on this ace-high, three-heart board. After the turn bet and river follow-through, calling 500 is unlikely to be profitable.

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

Nine-six offsuit is far too weak to defend out of the small blind against a button open.

Closing the action with 2.67:1 pot odds, K5o is worth a cheap defend against a button open in a 3-handed game. I'll proceed cautiously postflop out of position.

I have only king-high on a paired, coordinated board and am out of position against the preflop raiser, so checking keeps the pot small and avoids building a pot with a weak hand.

Trips are strong enough to value-bet. A half-pot bet can get called by queens and draws while building the pot.

I have only king-high on a paired, flush-drawn board with no diamond, and the button's preflop raise plus flop bet represents a strong range; I have too few clean outs to continue profitably.

65 offsuit is too weak to open from the button even in 3-handed play.

A7o has strong equity against a lone big blind, and calling closes the preflop action for only 50 more into a 150 pot. Raising would bloat the pot out of position with a marginal ace.

K2 offsuit can see the flop for free against the small blind's limp. I prefer keeping the pot small with a weak kicker.

Bet small on this flop to take down the pot; opponent checked preflop and likely has a weak range that will fold to aggression.

The small flop bet gives me a good price in position. King-high has some showdown value and can improve, so I’ll call rather than raise.

I have ace-high with no pair and no strong draw on a paired board. Checking controls the pot and avoids building a large pot out of position with a marginal hand.

King-high has some showdown value against missed draws. With no strong draw of my own, I prefer to keep the pot small rather than bluff into a range that can include a jack or a five.

Ace-high has minimal showdown value on this paired, straight-heavy board, and betting into a caller risks getting raised. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me evaluate opponent's river action.

King-high is unlikely to win at showdown. After the small flop bet and two checks, a river bet can pressure ace-high and weak pairs on a board where the diamond flush completed.

Ace-high with no pair on a coordinated board; opponent's river raise represents strong value and I have no blockers to flushes or straights. Folding is correct given poor equity against his value range.

Q8s is a reasonable button open in a 3-handed game, and raising applies pressure on the blinds while I retain postflop position.

J9 suited plays well enough to defend against a button open, but raising would build a large pot out of position with a middling hand.

Holding T2 offsuit out of position against a button raise and small blind call is an easy fold.

As the preflop caller out of position, I have no made hand and only weak backdoor possibilities on this ace-high flop. Checking avoids building a pot without a strong draw.

I have only queen-high on a coordinated ace-king flop and the small blind called my preflop raise, so checking behind controls the pot and avoids getting check-raised by a stronger range.

Middle pair has showdown value, but a turn bet is unlikely to get called by many worse hands on this dry board. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets the button bluff.

Seat 2 has shown no strength by checking both flop and turn, and my Q-high has no showdown value. A turn bet can take the 700-chip pot and fold out weak hands.

Third pair is a reasonable bluff-catcher against a button opener who checked back the flop and can bet the turn with missed hands. Calling keeps those bluffs in while avoiding an expensive raise against stronger pairs.

Third pair has some showdown value, but worse hands are unlikely to call a river bet often enough. Checking also keeps the pot manageable against an ace or king.

Missed flush draw with no showdown value; opponent checked, so bet to fold out weak pairs and missed draws.

My pair of nines is a weak bluff-catcher against a sizable river bet. On this dry board, I don't expect enough bluffs to justify calling 1200.

Q7 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button in a three-handed game. A 2.5 big-blind raise can win the blinds while keeping the pot manageable if called.

Q7o is too weak to defend out of position from the small blind against a button raise.

5s9o is too weak to defend out of position against a button open, even with good pot odds; I fold and preserve chips.

K5s is a standard open from the button in 3-handed play to apply pressure on the blinds.

Q8s has decent equity against a likely wide button raise, and the pot odds (175 to call into 375) justify a call despite being out of position.

A3 suited has enough equity and playability to call 125 into a 550-chip pot. A squeeze risks building a large pot out of position against two opponents.

I have no pair and only backdoor draws on a king-high flop; checking preserves chips and sees a free turn in a multiway pot.

Bottom pair has some showdown value, but betting into two opponents on a king-high flop is unlikely to get enough value. Checking keeps the pot manageable.

With top pair weak kicker three-way, checking back controls the pot size and under-realizes zero equity against potential check-raises on a dry board.

With Qd8d on a paired board and no made hand or strong draw, checking to see a free river is best; I can fold to any bet.

Bottom pair has some showdown value, but betting into two opponents risks getting called mainly by better hands. Checking keeps the pot manageable.

With top pair kings and action checked through on the flop, betting small on the paired turn extracts value from underpairs and ace-high hands.

Q-high with no real draw on a paired board; calling 300 into 975 is not profitable against a button who raised preflop and bet turn.

My two pair is worth continuing against a small turn bet, particularly after the preflop raiser checked back the flop. Raising would risk building a large pot against a king or a nine.

My two pair has showdown value, but a king or nine is likely to call a bet and beat me. Checking avoids turning this hand into a bluff.

We have two pair with a weak kicker (Kings and Nines with a 5). Checking behind realizes our showdown value safely without risking a check-raise or getting called only by superior Kings and trips.