Hold'em table

87o on the button in 3-handed play is a standard open; a 2.5bb raise uses position and fold equity against the blinds.

T5 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

Calling gets a favorable price with a small pair and keeps the pot manageable; a set can win a substantial pot against the button’s wide opening range.

With a small pocket pair on an ace-high, two-heart flop, checking keeps the pot controlled and avoids building it with a vulnerable hand.

Ace-high board favors my button opening range, so a small c-bet with air (78o with a backdoor straight draw) should take the pot often against the big blind's check.

A small pocket pair is well behind the button’s value bets on this ace-high, two-heart flop, and the price is too high to continue hoping to hit a set.

JTo is strong enough to open on the button three-handed, and a 2.5bb raise uses position while keeping the pot manageable.

6♦9♣ is a weak offsuit hand from the small blind, and calling a button raise would leave me out of position against the big blind as well.

Getting 150 to win 400 (27% equity needed), and K5o does well enough in the big blind against a wide 3-handed button open. Calling beats folding here, while 3-betting is too thin.

K-high with a gutshot to a straight (needs a ten) and a backdoor flush draw, out of position on a board that hits the button's raising range hard. Checking keeps the pot small, and I can decide against a c-bet.

Trips are strong here, and a 375-chip bet can get value from queens and draws while charging hands that could improve.

Facing a small c-bet, I only need about 29% equity. King-high with backdoor flush and straight draws does well enough against a wide button range to continue.

I have king-high with a gutshot to Broadway (only a ten completes it), so checking takes a free card. Leading into a raiser on an ace-high paired board has little fold equity.

Trips with a ten kicker can get value from aces, queens, and draws. A moderate bet also charges the heart and diamond draws without committing the stack.

King-high with only a gutshot to the ten (about 9% equity) is facing a bet that needs roughly 28% equity to call. Implied odds don't close that gap, and a bluff-raise against a double-barrel on the ace is unconvincing.

With 6-5 offsuit on the button, calling is a low-cost way to see a flop in position; raising would be unnecessarily ambitious with a weak hand.

A7o is well ahead of a button limping range in 3-handed play, so an isolation raise from the small blind to 4.5bb takes initiative and can win the pot preflop. Just calling would mean playing out of position in a multiway limped pot.

K2 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a large small-blind raise, especially with the button still in the pot. Folding avoids investing another 350 chips with a weak, easily dominated hand.

56 offsuit is too weak to continue against the small blind’s raise, especially with the big blind already folded.

Q8s on the button in 3-handed play is a clear open-raise; a standard 2.5bb open to steal the blinds.

J9 suited has enough playability to defend against a button open, especially with no rake. Calling keeps the pot manageable out of position.

T2 offsuit is too weak to continue against a button raise and a small-blind call, even with the discounted price.

I missed this flop and am out of position against the preflop raiser. Checking avoids building a pot with a weak hand.

As the button preflop raiser on an A-K-3 rainbow board, which heavily favors my range, a small c-bet works well. My Qs8s has a gutshot to the nut straight with a J, plus backdoor spades and backdoor straight draws.

J-high has no pair or immediate draw on this A-K-3 flop. Out of position against the preflop raiser, continuing is unlikely to be profitable.

Q7 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed, and a modest raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

Q7 offsuit is a weak holding out of position against a button raise, with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids investing more with poor playability.

Getting about 3.7:1 against a wide 3-handed button open, 95o has enough equity to defend from the big blind. Calling is better than 3-betting this hand.

Gutshot (J for straight) with 9-high out of position vs the preflop raiser on a board that favors their range; check and play the draw cheaply.

Q-high has little immediate equity on this connected flop, and the big blind’s calling range connects with it often. Checking back keeps the pot small and preserves the chance to improve.

I have an open-ended straight draw (a 7 or Q completes it), and the button showed weakness by checking back the flop. A roughly two-thirds pot semi-bluff can win the pot now and still has equity when called.

I have an open-ended straight draw and position. The turn call leaves room to win more if I hit or to respond to a river check.

The river gave me only bottom pair of fives, and the turn bet with my gutshot got called. Betting now would only get called by better hands, so I'll check and aim for a cheap showdown.

Queen-high is unlikely to win against a hand that led the turn. The river check gives me a chance to bluff, and my queen and seven block some possible straights.

Bottom pair on a highly coordinated board facing a strong river bet. The bet gives me about 30% pot odds, but most of the villain's value range beats me, and many missed draws would already have me beat with high cards.

K5 suited is a playable button hand three-handed, so I’ll open-raise to apply pressure and take initiative.

Q8s from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still to act, is a marginal hand; calling out of position risks a squeeze. Folding is the disciplined play, and 3-betting as a bluff is too thin here.

A3 suited is strong enough to defend the big blind against a 2.5-big-blind button raise. Calling keeps weaker hands in while avoiding a large out-of-position pot.

I have bottom pair on a dry flop against the preflop raiser. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me assess their bet.

I have top pair and should make a small value bet while charging draws and weaker hands. A modest sizing keeps worse kings and 9x hands in the pot.

The small flop bet gives me a good price to continue with bottom pair and an ace kicker. Raising would risk too much against a king-heavy range.

Bottom pair has some showdown value, but betting into the preflop raiser on this paired turn is unlikely to get called by worse often enough. I’ll check and reassess if they bet.

With top pair but a very weak kicker, betting has limited value and risks building the pot against better Kx or a 9. I’ll take the free card and keep the pot manageable.

My two pair has showdown value, but a bet is unlikely to get called by many worse hands. Checking also gives me the chance to catch a bluff.

A small river value bet can get called by weaker Kx or some pairs, while keeping the price modest with my weak kicker. The checked-through turn suggests a capped range, and there is no obvious completed flush draw.

The small river bet gives me favorable pot odds. My two pair can beat missed draws and some weaker hands, so calling is better than folding.