Hold'em table

K2 suited is strong enough to open on the button in a three-handed game. A 2.5 big blind raise pressures the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

53o out of the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still to act behind, is a clear fold. Calling out of position with a weak hand loses money.

JhTc is a strong suited broadway hand to defend from the big blind against a button 2.5bb open, with favorable pot odds and postflop playability.

This paired, dry flop favors the preflop raiser’s range, while J-high has modest immediate value. Checking preserves flexibility and lets the opponent c-bet.

A small continuation bet pressures the big blind's unpaired hands on this dry, paired board while risking relatively little with king-high and a backdoor flush draw.

The small flop bet gives favorable pot odds with two overcards and some backdoor possibilities. Calling keeps the pot manageable in position against a likely wide continuation-bet range.

With only jack-high on a paired, coordinated board, checking preserves pot control and avoids inflating the pot against the preflop raiser.

K-high has little equity when called, and the turn improves several hands that could have called the flop. I’ll check rather than invest more in a low-equity bluff.

My jack-high has little showdown value, while the river diamond and connected board credibly complete flushes and straights after the turn checked through. A moderate bluff can fold out unpaired overcards and some weak pairs.

King-high beats only a bluff, and the river completes several likely straights and a diamond flush. Calling 500 is unlikely to be profitable.

Pocket eights on the button in a 3-handed game is a strong open, so I'm raising to 2.5bb for value and to take the initiative.

KQ suited is a strong three-handed holding and plays well as a value 3-bet against the button open. Raising also pressures the big blind and denies equity.

KTs has enough equity to continue against a small-blind three-bet, and calling keeps the pot manageable while retaining position on the three-bettor.

With 88 in position at a good price (650 to win 2700), a call is profitable for set value and playability. Four-betting into a 3-bet and a cold-call would fold out worse hands and only get action from better ones.

I have top pair with a strong kicker on a dry board and should bet for value while charging weaker queens, nines, and draws.

The small flop bet gives reasonable odds to continue with a gutshot straight draw, a backdoor flush draw, and some chance of improving to a pair.

The small blind 3-bet and led the flop, and the big blind cold-called both the 3-bet and the flop bet, so both ranges are strong. Underpair 88 on a Q-9-5 board is likely well behind multiway, and its equity is roughly at or below the ~17.5% the price requires, with reverse implied odds on later streets.

I have top pair with a strong kicker on a paired board and can extract value from weaker queens, nines, and straight draws while denying equity.

The gutshot and possible king outs do not provide enough equity against a likely strong range to justify calling the turn bet.

On the button in a three-handed game, K-high has sufficient strength and positional value to open-raise. I use the minimum raise to pressure the blinds while risking little.

K9 offsuit is a reasonable three-bet bluff against a small button open, and raising avoids a difficult multiway pot out of position.

TT is well ahead of a wide 3-handed SB 3-bet range over a button min-raise. A 4-bet takes the initiative, folds out overcards that have equity against us, and isolates the SB rather than inviting the button in with a flat call.

K5 offsuit is far too weak to continue facing a 21bb cold 4-bet/large re-raise preflop.

K9 offsuit is often dominated by the big blind's large preflop reraise range, and calling out of position risks losing more on later streets.

K9 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed, and a 2.5 big blind raise applies pressure while preserving flexibility.

A2o has an ace blocker and plays poorly as a flat out of position from the small blind against a wide three-handed button open. A 3-bet to 10bb works as a semi-bluff that can take the pot now.

Defending the big blind with suited-connected 87 against the small blind 3-bet is reasonable given the price and position postflop.

K9 offsuit is often dominated by a large three-bet and a cold call. The favorable immediate price does not offset its poor equity realization in a three-way pot.

As the preflop 3-bettor on a low, disconnected board, a small one-third-pot c-bet fits my range well. It also gets value and protection with bottom pair plus an ace kicker against the big blind's overcards and draws.

With only a weak gutshot on a two-club board facing a continuation bet in a 3-bet pot, the direct price and likely reverse implied odds do not justify continuing.

AK on the button is a premium hand, so I'm opening for value with a standard 2.5bb raise.

Q5 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still behind.

A7 suited has enough equity to defend the big blind against a button raise, and calling keeps the pot manageable out of position.

Ace-high has some showdown value on this paired flop. Checking keeps the pot controlled while leaving room to respond to a bet.

A paired, dry board heavily favors the preflop raiser, and AK has strong overcards with backdoor equity. A small c-bet of about 1/3 pot gets folds from weak hands and keeps worse hands in.

The small bet gives me a good price to continue with ace-high and a backdoor heart draw against a button range that can bet widely.

The turn gives me the nut flush draw, but I have no made hand. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me respond to the button's bet size.

The BB called the flop bet, so their range holds many queens, eights and tens that won't fold. Checking back gives a free river to hit the gutshot to the nut straight, or an ace or king that might be good, while keeping the pot small with a hand that has little showdown value.

Ace-high has some showdown value against missed draws, while a river bet is unlikely to fold out enough better hands.

Ace-high has some showdown value against missed draws. Bluffing is unlikely to fold out much, because villain check-called the flop and should hold many pairs that won't release to a river bet.

8-high suited is too weak to open profitably from the button in this short-format three-handed spot.

T6 suited is playable heads-up for one more small blind, but not strong enough to build a large pot out of position.

A2 suited is well ahead of a small blind's limping range, so raising to 4bb from the big blind builds a pot where I'll have position postflop. It also lets me take the pot down immediately when they fold.

T6 suited is too weak to call a 4x raise out of position against the big blind.