Hold'em table

Nine-six offsuit is too weak to open from the button even in three-handed play.

Heads-up with an ace, I’ll raise from the small blind to take the initiative.

TJs has good equity against a small-blind steal, and calling closes the action for 200 into 400. I'll keep the pot controlled out of position rather than bloating it with a marginal 3-bet.

Top and bottom pair is strong on a board with a flush draw. Betting 400 chips builds the pot against weaker aces and draws while charging them to continue.

I have no pair and only a weak backdoor straight draw on an Ace-high flop; facing a bet, folding is best.

Q2 offsuit is too weak to open from the button against two opponents at 100 big blinds.

JTo is strong enough heads-up against the big blind to raise for initiative and fold out weaker hands; folding is too tight and limping invites a steal.

AJs is well ahead of the small blind's opening range in a blind versus blind spot, making a 3-bet to 9bb standard for value.

JTo is marginal and often dominated against a 3-bet, especially out of position. Folding preserves chips rather than calling 600 with reverse implied odds.

Q2o is too weak to play from the button against two players, even with position. Folding avoids risking chips with a marginal hand.

JTo is well ahead of an average holding in a blind vs blind battle; raising to 3 bb applies pressure and takes the initiative.

K8 suited is strong enough to defend the big blind against a small-blind raise, and calling keeps the pot manageable in position.

C-betting one-third pot on an Ace-high board where we retain range advantage as the preflop raiser, holding backdoor straight and flush equity.

The small flop bet gives a good price to continue in position with king-high and a backdoor diamond draw. I can reassess if the turn brings more pressure.

I whiffed the turn with jack-high and zero showdown value, so checking to re-evaluate and give up cheaply against a sticky range is prudent.

King-high has some showdown value against missed draws, but little chance to improve if called. I’ll take the free river rather than bluff into a range that can contain aces.

With no showdown value holding Jack-high, we bet the river representing an Ace or better after opponent checked back the turn, putting maximum pressure on weak pairs and busted draws.

King-high has little showdown value, and calling 600 requires winning often enough against a range that includes many aces and pairs. The missed club draw offers some bluff candidates, but not enough to justify a call.

75 offsuit is too weak to open from the button even in 3-handed play.

Calling 50 gets a good price to see the flop heads-up. J6 offsuit is playable here but too weak to build a large pot out of position.

With Q5o in the big blind and no call required, checking keeps the pot small and lets me see a free flop rather than bloating the pot with a marginal hand.

I have no pair or immediate draw on this flop, so I’ll check rather than build the pot.

Middle pair with weak kicker on a draw-heavy board; checking back controls the pot and avoids getting raised by better Kx/queens.

J-high has little equity on this board, and the turn gives no useful draw. With no bet to face, I’ll take the free river rather than bluff without a read.

Heads-up in position with second pair on a draw-heavy board, a small bet protects my equity and may get called by worse draws or pairs; I can fold if raised.

J-high has little showdown value and no meaningful draw on this board. Calling the turn bet is unlikely to be profitable.

Seven-four suited is playable on the button in a three-handed game. A small raise uses position while limiting the investment with a marginal hand.

A2o is dominated and out of position against a button raise with the big blind still to act; folding avoids a marginal postflop spot.

64o is too weak to defend out of position against a 2.5x open.

8-3 offsuit is too weak to continue, even on the button. Folding avoids risking chips with a dominated hand.

24o is far too weak to defend out of position from the small blind against the big blind.