Hold'em table

Open-raising on the button with Q6 suited applies pressure to the blinds and leverages position in a short-handed game.

J8o is too weak to continue out of position against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding preserves chips for better spots.

Getting 400:150 (about 27% equity needed) from the big blind against a wide button open. 85o is a reasonable defend with position-closing odds.

I have 8-high with a backdoor diamond draw on an A-A-2 board, which favors the preflop raiser's range. Checking to the button is standard, and I can fold to a c-bet.

A small continuation bet leverages our preflop initiative on this paired ace board and can fold out many missed holdings while risking little.

The bet is small, about 27% of the pot, so I only need roughly 21% equity. 8-high with a backdoor diamond draw and backdoor wheel potential is a reasonable float on this paired board, and I shouldn't overfold against a small c-bet.

The turn brought no help: 8-high with a backdoor diamond draw that missed, on a paired ace board. I'll check and give up unless I get a free river.

Check back with modest showdown value on the double-paired board and a queen-high diamond draw. Betting is unlikely to fold out stronger aces, jacks, or full houses.

Eight-high has no showdown value, and the button's turn check suggests a capped range. The river diamond also completes flush draws I could plausibly hold, so a two-thirds-pot bluff should get enough folds to be profitable.

The river bet is small relative to the pot, and my queen kicker on the paired-ace board can beat missed draws and weaker bluff-catchers. Calling is preferable to turning this modest showdown value into a bluff.

7-3 offsuit is a very weak hand and calling 100 chips offers poor equity against the blinds. Folding preserves my stack for better spots.

Blind vs blind, 86o is a reasonable open from the small blind. Raising to 3bb applies pressure and takes the initiative.

A4 offsuit is too weak to defend profitably versus the small blind's 3x raise, especially heads-up out of position.

A8o on the button in 3-handed play is a clear opening hand, so I'm raising to 2.5bb to take the blinds or play the pot in position.

4s2s is far too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still behind.

Getting 2.67:1 pot odds with a weak but potentially live hand, and the button's open is likely wide enough to make calling profitable. I'll see a flop in position disadvantage but with decent implied odds.

I have no pair and only a weak jack-high hand on a coordinated board, so I take the free card and avoid building the pot out of position.

Top pair with a weak kicker plus a backdoor flush draw, in position against a BB check. A modest value/protection bet of about 64% pot should get called by worse aces, Qx and draws.)

I have J-high with only a weak backdoor straight draw and no pair, while facing a meaningful flop bet after the preflop raise. Calling offers poor odds, so folding is the disciplined play.

J9 suited is a reasonable button opening hand in a three-handed game. Raising applies pressure and can win the blinds or play a pot in position.

4-3 offsuit is too weak to continue against a button raise, especially out of position. Folding preserves chips for better spots.

A7o in the big blind against a 2.5x button open is getting good pot odds (150 to win 400) and is well ahead of a wide button range, so defending by calling is standard.

Out of position with ace-high and a gutshot on a board that favors the raiser, so I check to the preflop raiser. I can decide whether to continue after seeing the c-bet size.

Top pair with a jack kicker is strong heads-up on this relatively connected flop. I bet for value and protection against straight draws and weaker pairs.

Against a small c-bet (about 40% pot), I need roughly 29% equity. Ace-high with an overcard and backdoor straight potential has enough equity to continue against a wide button range.

Ace-high with no real draw facing a button that c-bet; checking to realize equity cheaply and keep the pot small.

Betting top pair for value against worse nines and draws while charging the spade and straight-draw portions of the calling range.

Ace-high with no real draw faces a double barrel on 9-8-3-2. Calling needs about 28% equity, and a few ace outs aren't enough.

On the button with a playable hand, I raise to apply pressure on the blinds and take initiative preflop.

Three-handed, the button opens wide, and 97s works well as a 3-bet bluff from the small blind. Raising takes the initiative and avoids playing a weak call out of position with the big blind still to act.

Ace-king suited is a premium hand and performs well as a 3-bet against the small blind squeeze. Raising to 3000 applies pressure while retaining maneuverability against a 100bb stack.

Facing a 4-bet to 30bb with J9o, my hand is far too weak to continue against the strong ranges shown by both opponents. Folding preserves my stack for a better spot.

The big blind's cold 4-bet over a 3-bet represents a strong range. Calling with 97s out of position, with about 70bb behind, gives poor realized equity, and a 5-bet bluff is unlikely to get folds.

In three-handed play the button opens wide, and J2s is suited with playability, so it is a marginal but acceptable open. I'm raising to 2.5bb.

Fold the weak 3-2 offsuit facing a button raise from the small blind.