Hold'em table

Nine-four offsuit is too weak for a standard button open, even three-handed. Without evidence that the blinds overfold, folding is preferable to limping or raising.

Opening with a pocket pair in a blind-versus-blind situation to take initiative and build the pot.

K8o has good equity against a wide small-blind raising range after the button folded, and I will be in position postflop, so calling 200 is better than folding or 3-betting.

Flopped bottom set on a dry J-6-3 rainbow board. C-betting 1/3 pot to start building the pot and extract value from Jx and pocket pairs.

King-high with no pair or meaningful draw on J-6-3 is behind pairs and ace-high, and calling a flop bet out of my preflop range offers poor equity despite the small price.

On the button 3-handed, Q6s is comfortably within an opening range; raising to 2.5bb exerts positional pressure on the blinds.

3-8 offsuit is very weak in the small blind facing a button raise to 250; calling out of position would lose chips on average.

Calling costs 150 into a 400-chip pot, giving favorable odds against a typical button opening range. This suited one-gapper has enough equity and postflop potential to defend the big blind without inflating the pot.

Bottom pair has some showdown value but is too weak to bet for value on this draw-heavy board. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me assess the preflop raiser's sizing.

I have queen-high with minimal equity on a wet board that connects well with the big blind's calling range, so taking a free card is prudent.

Our weak pair has some showdown value but cannot comfortably value-bet, and the king favors the button's opening range. Checking keeps the pot small without turning the hand into an unpromising bluff.

Betting the scare card on the turn as a semi-bluff with a gutshot straight draw after the opponent checks twice.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker and no meaningful draw is too weak to continue against this turn sizing. The king favors the preflop raiser's range, and playing out of position makes realizing enough equity difficult.

QJo on the button in 3-handed play is well ahead of the blinds' ranges, so raising to apply pressure and build the pot in position.

64 suited is too weak to defend profitably from the small blind against a 2.5bb open with the big blind still to act. Poor position and the risk of a squeeze outweigh its drawing potential.

Getting almost 2.7-to-1 pot odds against a button open in 3-handed play, QTo has sufficient equity to defend the big blind.

I missed this low, connected board completely out of position, making a standard check the only reasonable play.

This low connected two-club board heavily favors the big-blind caller, so a bluff with just two overcards would be called or raised often. Checking in position takes a free card to hit a pair or backdoor straight while keeping the pot controlled.

I have queen-high with no draw on a coordinated board; checking to see how the opponent acts.

Opponent checked flop and turn showing weakness; I have two overcards plus a gutshot to the nut straight, so a semi-bluff bet can win the pot now or build it for my outs.

I have queen-high with no significant draw on a heavily coordinated board, facing a turn bet.

KJo is a strong opening hand on the button three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds pressures the blinds and builds a pot with position.

Pocket eights has strong equity against a wide button opening range; 3-betting from the small blind extracts value and takes initiative.

8-3 offsuit is very weak facing a button raise and a small-blind 3-bet to 900; calling 800 from the big blind would be unprofitable.

Calling costs 650 to contest a 1,900-chip pot, requiring about 34% equity. KJo is a marginal but reasonable defend against a small-blind three-bet in this button-versus-blind spot, with position helping realize equity.

Check to control the pot OOP with middle pair and a gutshot straight draw.

A small positional stab can fold out stronger unpaired hands after the preflop aggressor checks. Two overcards plus backdoor straight and heart-flush possibilities provide equity and useful turn barreling opportunities when called.

Getting roughly 4:1 pot odds with second pair and a gutshot straight draw, calling this small bet on the flop is clearly profitable.

With an underpair to the board-pairing ten and some straight equity, checking out of position to control the pot size is the most prudent play.

The paired turn is a poor bluffing card after the preflop three-bettor called the flop, and we have no immediate draw. Checking preserves chips and takes a free chance to improve with our two overcards.

Holding two pair with eights and sevens on a four-to-a-straight board, our hand has decent showdown value against missed draws but cannot extract value from worse hands with a bet.

King-high has little showdown value after the flop call. A moderate river bluff can fold out ace-high and some underpairs while credibly representing a ten betting for thin value after checking the turn.

Our pocket eights only beat missed bluffs on this board after Seat 1 bets over half pot on the river. With Tens and Sevens heavily in their value range, folding is prudent.

Holding 72o, the worst starting hand in hold'em, folding preflop from the button is standard.

Heads-up in the small blind versus the big blind after the button folded, Q7 suited is ahead of a wide BB range and plays well with initiative. Raising to 3x applies pressure and builds a pot in position postflop relative to the BB.

Nine-six offsuit is a weak defense against a 3bb open, even with position in a blind-versus-blind pot. Its limited playability makes folding preferable without evidence that the small blind opens excessively wide.

A9 offsuit is a strong button hand three-handed, well ahead of blind ranges. Raising takes initiative and builds value versus weaker aces and calls.

Ace-king is a strong value three-bet against a button opening range. The larger out-of-position sizing charges callers and discourages the big blind from entering cheaply.

Holding J6o in the big blind facing an open and a 3-bet is an easy fold.

In position in a 3-handed game, A9o with an ace blocker has enough equity against a wide small-blind 3-bet range to call 850 rather than fold or commit to a large 4-bet bluff.

A quarter-pot continuation bet pressures unpaired hands on this dry, paired board while leveraging my strong preflop range. AK also retains showdown value and can improve against pocket pairs.

Small 25% flop bet gives great pot odds in position with Ace-high showdown value on a paired board; I beat many Broadway bluffs and can improve with an Ace or 9.

Ace-king retains showdown value against unpaired flop calls, but this turn provides little additional equity or reason to barrel. Checking controls the pot against pocket pairs and trips while preserving options against a turn bet.

Opponent 3-bet, bet small on the flop then checked the turn, showing weakness. In position with Ace-high and little showdown value, a half-pot turn bet representing a queen can fold AK and medium pairs.

Calling requires about 25% equity, and AK has only limited improvement chances against pocket pairs and is nearly drawing dead against Qx. The king of spades also blocks some natural semi-bluffs, making this a reasonable hand to fold.