Hold'em table

T3 offsuit is too weak to profitably enter from the button, even with the favorable pot odds and position.

Completing the small blind costs only 50 into a 150-chip pot. Q5 offsuit is playable heads-up at this price, but limping keeps the pot small while out of position.

64 offsuit has little value heads-up against a limp, and checking is free, so there is no reason to fold or inflate the pot.

Middle pair has showdown value but is not strong enough to build a large pot out of position. Checking keeps weaker hands in and avoids exposing us to a raise on a draw-heavy board.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker has little value on this flop, and the opponent checked, so I take the free card rather than inflate the pot.

Our pair of fives has some showdown value, but the turn strengthens many opposing pairs and draws. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids betting into a range that can continue comfortably.

I have only a weak pair of fours on a connected board and the pot is small, so checking behind preserves showdown value without bloating the pot.

Our pair of fives has showdown value against missed draws and unpaired hands, but a bet is unlikely to be called by worse. Checking preserves that value without inflating the pot on a river that completes hearts.

I have only a weak pair of fours and some showdown value after three streets of checks, so there is no reason to turn this into a bluff.

Pocket queens are a premium hand on the button. Opening to 2.5 big blinds builds the pot for value while inviting calls from weaker hands.

83s is too weak to call a button open from the small blind; folding avoids a dominated, reverse-implied-odds spot.

K6 offsuit is a marginal but reasonable big-blind defend against a button open, and the price is favorable. Calling keeps weaker hands in and avoids bloating the pot with a hand that plays poorly against a 3-bet response.

I have only king-high with weak backdoor draws, so I’ll take the free card rather than inflate the pot.

My overpair can get value from Jx, Tx, and draws. Betting about two-thirds pot charges the many straight and flush draws on this board.

I have only king-high with no immediate straight or flush draw, and calling 375 into this bet is not worthwhile.

4-2 offsuit is too weak to call or raise from the button against two live blinds.

K♠-8 offsuit has enough value to complete from the small blind, but raising risks building a pot out of position against the big blind. Calling keeps the pot small while getting favorable odds.

With weak offsuit connectors and no additional cost, checking preserves chips and lets us see a flop in position against the small blind.

I have king-high with only backdoor straight and flush potential, so I’ll take the free card rather than bluff into the big blind’s range.

With no pair, no draw, and no meaningful backdoor prospects, this is a poor candidate for building a pot. Checking preserves chips and lets me reassess in position on the turn.

King-high has little showdown value, but I have a gutshot to a five and no need to inflate the pot out of position. I’ll take the free river card.

The small blind has checked twice, leaving a weak range that may fold often enough to a modest turn stab. With virtually no showdown value, betting gives this hand a chance to win the pot.

The 125-chip bet offers a favorable price, and my open-ended straight draw gives eight river outs with some additional chance to pair my king. Calling is preferable to raising with only a draw and no strong read on the bettor.

With only king high, checking preserves showdown value against missed draws and avoids bluffing into a likely pair after the turn bet and call.

Four-high has essentially no showdown value, so continuing the turn bluff offers a better chance to win than checking. A substantial river bet pressures weak pairs and folds out missed draws in the opponent's check-call range.

K-high is only a bluff-catcher on this board, and the turn raise followed by a sizable river bet represents a value-heavy line. There are missed draws, but not enough reason to call with this weak holding.

Complete the button for one big blind with a weak but playable hand, keeping the pot small while retaining position postflop.

Completing costs only 50 into a 250 pot, making J5 suited worth seeing a flop despite poor position. Raising would unnecessarily inflate the pot with a weak hand.

Nine-six offsuit is too weak to raise, and checking is free as the big blind after limps.

Bottom pair with no flush draw is too weak to value-bet into two opponents on this ace-high board. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me reassess based on their actions.

Six-nine offsuit completely missed this ace-high flop with no pair or draw, so there is no value in betting into two opponents. Checking keeps the pot small and preserves the option to fold if faced with aggression.

I have no pair and only backdoor draws. With two opponents still in, checking back preserves my chance to improve without risking a bluff into multiple players.

Bottom pair has some showdown value but is too weak to value-bet into two opponents. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids turning a marginal made hand into a bluff.

I have 69 offsuit with no pair and no draw on A-T-8-5, and the button still acts behind, so checking is the only sensible option.

I have only jack-high and two opponents remain; taking the free river is preferable to bluffing into a multiway pot after both checked.

Bottom pair has some showdown value, but a bet is unlikely to get called by worse on this coordinated river. Checking avoids turning it into a low-quality bluff against two opponents.

I have a pair of nines with showdown value on a checked-down board, so checking is better than bluffing into two opponents or folding for free.

A small river bluff may fold out weak hands after both opponents checked throughout; the minimum bet risks only 100 to win the 300-chip pot.

Bottom pair is a weak bluff catcher on this coordinated, three-spade board. With another player still to act, I do not expect to win often enough to justify calling even this small bet.

I have a pair of nines and only need to call 100 into a 400 pot. The tiny river bet is often a thin value hand or a bluff, so the price is good enough to look up.

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

J4o is too weak to continue out of position against the big blind; folding limits the loss to the small blind.

74s is too weak to call a blind or open-raise from the button; folding preserves the stack.

With the button folded, 55 is strong enough to raise from the small blind for value and to seize the initiative heads-up. A 3bb raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable if called.

Against a typically wide small-blind opening range, J6 offsuit has enough equity to defend at 2-to-1 pot odds. Position postflop helps realize that equity without inflating the pot with a weak hand.

With a small underpair on a connected, two-heart flop, I have little value in betting and can check to keep the pot small.

Jack-high has little immediate equity and only backdoor draw potential. Checking preserves chips and lets me reassess the turn in position without risking a bluff into the raiser's checking range.

With a low pair on this king-high, three-heart board, a bet risks being called or raised by stronger hands and draws. Checking preserves showdown value and avoids building the pot.

After two checks from the raiser, a two-thirds-pot semi-bluff can fold out ace-high and smaller pairs. The jack of hearts also provides flush equity when called.

A 400-chip call needs substantial equity, but my pocket fives are an underpair on a board with three higher ranks and little chance to improve. The turn bet is likely ahead of me, so I fold.