Hold'em table

Pocket aces are the strongest starting hand; raising to 2.5 big blinds builds the pot while encouraging calls or reraises from weaker hands. Button position also lets us play subsequent streets in position.

QJo is strong enough to continue against a button open in a three-handed game, but calling keeps the pot manageable out of position and avoids an unnecessary 3-bet with a dominated-prone hand.

KTo in the big blind facing a 2.5bb button open and an SB call gets excellent odds (150 to win 600), so calling is profitable. A 3-bet would be too loose and is dominated by stronger ranges.

With only queen-high on a paired, two-heart flop in a three-way pot, I have no strong draw and should take the free option rather than bluff into two opponents.

K-high with a backdoor flush draw on a dry paired board in a 3-way pot, with the preflop raiser still to act behind me; checking keeps the pot small and lets me realize equity.

Aces are well ahead of most hands on this paired flop. Betting 40% of the pot extracts value from nines, smaller pocket pairs, and heart draws while keeping weaker hands in.

QJ has no pair or meaningful draw on this paired, two-heart flop, and a button bet into two opponents is unlikely to give sufficient equity for a call.

The button's small c-bet on a dry paired board is likely wide. K-high with an overcard and a backdoor heart draw has enough equity against that range at about 22% pot odds.

The king gave me top pair, and I also have a heart flush draw. Leading for about 60% of the pot gets value from 9x and weaker draws and protects my hand, while avoiding the risk that the preflop raiser checks back.

Aces remain ahead of kings, weaker pairs, and heart draws in the opponent's turn-leading range. Calling keeps those hands and bluffs in while avoiding an unnecessary raise against trips or full houses.

Kings full of twos is near the nuts, losing only to K9 or 22. Betting about 70% pot gets value from flushes, trip twos, and 9x hands that called the turn.

The turn lead followed by a large river bet represents kings, deuces, or a completed heart flush, all of which beat aces. With few natural missed draws and needing about 29% equity to call, folding is preferable.

With 2-6 offsuit on the button, calling 100 chips or raising is not worthwhile; fold and preserve the stack.

Blind vs blind with T9o, a hand that is comfortably above SB opening range; raising to 3bb applies pressure and takes initiative.

43 offsuit is too weak to defend profitably against a 3bb raise, even with position. Folding avoids investing more with poor equity and limited playability.

63o is too weak to open from the button in 3-handed play against two blinds with 100bb stacks, so folding is standard.

Completing costs only 50 chips into a 150-chip pot, making this connected hand worth a cheap flop against the big blind. Calling keeps the pot small while out of position.

A6 suited is strong heads-up against the small blind’s limp. I raise for value and initiative while keeping the sizing moderate.

54 offsuit is too weak to profitably call this raise out of position. Its poor equity realization and lack of suitedness make folding preferable to calling or bluff-raising.

Nine-four offsuit is too weak to open profitably against two blinds without evidence they overfold. Folding avoids investing in a hand with poor playability.

K8 suited is a playable hand heads-up, and completing from the small blind gets a favorable price without inflating the pot.

QJs is well ahead of a typical SB limping range, so I raise for value and initiative while in position.

K8 suited is strong enough to defend against a button-folded big blind’s raise, but calling keeps the pot manageable while out of position.

I have only king-high with limited backdoor equity, so checking keeps the pot small and lets me respond to a bet.

Top pair with a good kicker plus a gutshot and backdoor flush draw on a coordinated board; betting about 2/3 pot for value and protection against the limp-caller's draws and weaker Jx.

K-high has no immediate draw, and the backdoor club/straight possibilities are too weak to justify calling this sizable flop bet. Against the preflop raiser’s range, folding preserves chips.

K8 offsuit is a reasonable button open in a three-handed game. Raise to 2.5 big blinds to apply pressure while keeping the sizing modest.

KQo is well ahead of a wide 3-handed button opening range, and a 3-bet from the small blind takes the initiative and avoids a multiway pot out of position with the big blind still to act. Raising to 11bb is a standard out-of-position size.

J6 suited is too weak to cold-call a large three-bet, especially with the original raiser still to act. Folding avoids investing another 1,000 chips with poor equity realization.

K♣8♠ is too weak to continue against the small blind’s large 3-bet; calling would require substantial equity and leave us out of position postflop.

87o on the button in 3-handed play is a standard open; a 2.5bb raise attacks the blinds with position.

Q2 offsuit is too weak to defend against a button raise from the small blind, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids investing more with poor equity and positional disadvantage.

AK offsuit is a premium hand against a button open. A substantial 3-bet builds value and takes initiative while sizing up out of position.

87o is a weak hand against a big blind 3-bet to 8.5bb. Calling 600 into 1150 would be out of position-neutral with a dominated, offsuit hand, so folding is the disciplined play.