Hold'em table

K2o is a standard button open in 3-handed play, where only the two blinds are left to act. A 2.5x raise attacks the blinds with a hand that has decent high-card value.

5-3 offsuit is too weak to continue out of position against a raise, so folding preserves chips.

T5 suited has sufficient playability and pot odds to defend the big blind against a button min-open.

This board favors the preflop raiser, and T-high has little immediate showdown value or viable draw equity. Checking preserves flexibility.

Dry Q-high board favors the preflop raiser's range, and K2 has overcard equity plus a backdoor straight draw. A small c-bet of about a third pot gets folds from many BB hands cheaply.

The small continuation bet gives favorable pot odds, and calling preserves position with some pair and backdoor improvement potential against a wide button range.

The paired turn is a credible card to represent an 8 or a diamond-heavy continuing range after calling the flop. A roughly half-pot probe can fold out unpaired overcards and some marginal holdings while preserving stack depth.

King-high with no draw facing a turn lead from a player who check-called the flop; a small pot price doesn't justify continuing and bluff-raising is unconvincing here.

On the button with a suited one-gapper, I raise to pressure the blinds and take down the pot preflop; if called, I still have position.

J8 suited has adequate equity and playability to defend the small blind against a button 3x open at zero rake, especially with favorable pot odds.

Pocket sevens in the big blind are getting 200 to win 900, a strong price to see a flop multiway, where the hand plays well for set value. Squeezing out of position against a raise and a call is less attractive than just calling.

With a weak gutshot and no spade draw in a multiway raised pot, checking preserves equity and avoids inflating the pot out of position.

Top set on a dry rainbow board in a multiway pot. A small value bet builds the pot and charges straight draws like 4x and 6x hands and 3-4, while keeping weaker pairs in.

T-high with no pair and only weak backdoor draws is not worth calling a raise on this dry board, especially with a player still to act behind.

J-high has no made hand or meaningful immediate draw on this board, and calling the sizable multiway flop bet is unprofitable.

J4 suited is too weak to profitably enter from the button in this short-handed spot without reads.

Blind vs blind with 84o, completing for 50 into a 150 pot gives good odds. A raise mixes too, but a limp keeps it simple and cheap.

I have a weak offsuit ace and can see a free flop from the big blind, so checking is the safest way to realize some equity without bloating the pot.

I have 8-high with only a weak backdoor club draw in a limped pot, and I'm out of position. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me see the turn for free.

I have only ace-high with no real draw on a paired board, so checking keeps the pot small and lets me see the turn for free.

I have 8-high with a weak backdoor club draw on a paired, coordinated board, and I'm out of position. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me see the river for free, with a chance to bluff later if it's checked through again.

Our 8-high has no showdown value on this board, and the opponent has shown weakness, including a timed-out fallback check on the turn. A small bet risks little and can take the pot from air, and another timeout would force a fold.

Ace-high is unlikely to be best here after the opponent bet the river on a paired, coordinated board. Folding saves chips with no made hand.

T9o on the button in 3-handed is a standard open; raise to 2.5bb to steal the blinds with a playable hand.

AK is a premium hand and I'm out of position, so I'll 3-bet for value and to put pressure on the button's open.

8-5 offsuit performs poorly facing a raise and a large cold 3-bet from the big blind, especially out of position postflop.

Getting about 32% pot odds in position against a likely wide 3-handed SB 3-bet range, T9o has enough playability to call rather than fold.

I have two overcards on a dry paired flop and was the preflop aggressor. A continuation bet should take down the pot often, and I can fold if raised.

T9 high with only backdoor draws against a 3-bettor's c-bet on a dry 7-3-3 board. We need about 27% equity, and against a range heavy in overpairs we fall short.

On the button with a weak but playable hand, I can apply pressure to the blinds and take the pot preflop. Raising to 300 gives me a good chance to win the dead money while keeping position if called.

J5 suited is too weak to continue from the small blind against a 3x button open with the big blind still behind.

AQs is well ahead of a button opening range in 3-handed play, so I 3-bet for value. Going to 1100 from the big blind (out of position) builds the pot and denies equity.

Q7o is too weak to continue against a 3-bet from the big blind; calling 800 with this hand is not profitable.

Button open with Q6 suited is a profitable steal in three-handed play. A 2.5bb raise applies pressure while retaining maneuverability.

J5 suited from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still left to act, is too weak to call out of position and not a great 3-bet bluff candidate. Folding is standard.

I'm getting good pot odds with Q3s and calling keeps the pot manageable; folding seems too tight and 3-betting would bloat a marginal hand out of position.

I have only queen-high, but this dry A-T-2 flop misses many of the button raiser's hands. A small donk bet can take the pot down now and represents an ace or ten if called.

Q-high with no meaningful draw has insufficient equity versus the flop lead in a multiway-raised pot.