Hold'em table

Open-raising suited Queen from the button in 3-handed play to exploit position.

4-2 offsuit is too weak to continue against a button open; folding saves chips.

The button's small raise gives the big blind favorable pot odds, so I defend despite holding a weak offsuit hand.

I have no pair or meaningful draw on this ace-high flop. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids bluffing into the preflop raiser without useful equity.

Check back third pair on an Ace-high board to control the pot size and realize showdown equity in position.

I have no meaningful made hand or draw on this paired-ace board, so I’ll take the free card rather than inflate the pot.

I have two pair Aces and Fives with a decent kicker, which has good showdown value against missed hands; checking back controls the pot size in position.

With 9-high as my kicker on the paired-ace board, I have little value to bet and prefer to take the free showdown.

I rivered two pair (Aces and Queens) with Qd 5d on an Ac-Ah-Qs-Jc-5h board. Checking behind safely realizes showdown value without risking a check-raise.

Q4o is too weak to open or limp from the button in a three-handed pot; folding avoids dominated spots and wasted chips.

J♣2♠ is too weak to defend out of position, even at the discounted price against the big blind.

J-2 offsuit is too weak to open from the button, especially with both blinds yet to act.

A3s is a strong suited ace in a blind vs blind situation; raising to 3bb puts pressure on the big blind and builds a pot with a hand that plays well postflop.

Ace-ten offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind heads-up against a small-blind raise to 3bb, and the pot odds justify a call rather than a fold or a bloated three-bet.

I hold the nut flush draw with an overcard as the preflop aggressor, making a half-pot c-bet standard to build the pot and apply pressure.

I have top pair with the ace kicker on a wet flop and only face a half-pot bet, so calling keeps the pot manageable while realizing equity against worse pairs and draws.

I am double-barreling with the nut flush draw and an overcard to apply pressure on marginal pairs and preserve fold equity.

I have top pair with the ace kicker and the price is right to continue against a single turn bet. Raising would mostly fold out worse hands, so calling keeps the pot manageable and realizes my equity.

We rivered the nut flush with As3s. Betting around 70% pot extracts value from straights, sets, two pairs, and lower flushes.

Second pair with an ace kicker is a weak bluff-catcher after the queen and third spade arrive, and the triple-barrel sizing does not offer enough equity to continue.

T4s is too weak to open profitably from the button even in 3-handed play.

Button folded, so I am heads-up versus the big blind with connected T9o. Completing for 50 into 150 is a cheap price with enough equity and playability to see a flop.

I can see the flop for free from the big blind with a weak hand, so checking is preferable to investing more preflop.

T9o has no pair, no draw, and no real equity on Q54 rainbow, so checking for free is better than betting air into a pot I can still see a turn in.

Bottom pair has some showdown value, but betting is unlikely to get better hands to fold and could face a check-raise. I’ll take the free card and keep the pot small.

I have a marginal pair of nines with a ten kicker on a queen-high board, so I check to control the pot and realize my showdown value for free.

A weak pair of fours has limited value, and checking keeps the pot small while preserving showdown value.

Pair of nines with a ten kicker is too thin to bet into a three-club river; checking realizes showdown value cheaply.

My pair of fours is weak on a board with a possible flush, and a bet is unlikely to get called by worse hands. I’ll take the free showdown.

98o is too weak to open first-in from the button in three-handed play; limping is also unattractive, so folding preserves chips.

K9 suited is strong enough to raise heads-up from the small blind, taking initiative while denying the big blind a cheap flop.

Calling 200 in position closing the preflop action with T9s against the small blind's open.

K-high has some showdown value and two overcards, but this spade-heavy flop gives a called bet little benefit. I’ll take the free card and keep the pot small.

Betting 400 with a powerful flush draw and gutshot straight draw in position after the preflop raiser checked.

I have only king-high with no meaningful draw, and the bet gives me insufficient odds to continue.

Pocket tens are a strong opening hand on the button. I’m raising to 250 to build the pot while keeping the sizing controlled.

Holding a low pocket pair out of position against a button raise with the big blind still to act provides poor implied odds and playability.

A9o has enough equity against a wide button open to call 150 into 400 from the big blind; a 3-bet is too thin out of position.

Ace-high with no pair or draw on a dry flop is too weak to bet out of position, and checking is free. I will see whether the preflop raiser continues before committing more chips.

Bet 200 into the 550-chip pot for value and protection with an overpair, charging weaker pairs and straight-draw hands while keeping the bet modest on this connected board.

Ace-high with no pair and no draw on a dry 5-4-8 board is too weak to continue against a preflop raiser who c-bets. Folding avoids paying 200 with almost no equity.