Hold'em table

74 offsuit is too weak to open profitably, even on the button in a 3-handed game. Folding is standard.

With the button folded, A8 offsuit is strong heads-up from the small blind. Raise for value and initiative rather than simply completing.

74 suited is too weak to continue against a 3x small-blind raise, even with position and 2-to-1 pot odds. Folding avoids a dominated, low-equity spot.

Q7 suited is a reasonable button open in a three-handed game. Raising puts pressure on the blinds and takes initiative.

Pocket fours are ahead of a wide button open in three-handed play, and calling 200 into 400 keeps the pot small enough to set-mine or continue if the flop is favorable.

J5o is far too weak and uncoordinated to defend out of position against a raise and a call.

Pocket fours are an underpair on KQ3 with no draw, and I am out of position against the preflop raiser. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids betting into a range that often has a king or queen.

I have second pair with a weak kicker. Checking back controls the pot and preserves showdown value against a preflop caller’s stronger kings and queens.

Pocket fours make kings-and-fours, which has showdown value but is dominated by any king or queen and by better pocket pairs. With no bet facing me, checking controls the pot and lets me realize equity rather than folding out worse hands.

I have two pair with a weak kicker on a paired board. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me reach showdown against the opponent’s checked line.

Pocket fours is two pair with the board kings, enough to beat unpaired ace-high but crushed by any king, queen, eight, three, or higher pocket pair. With no bet to call, checking realizes that showdown value instead of turning the hand into a bluff.

I have a reasonable showdown hand, but a river bet is unlikely to get called by worse; checking preserves the pot against stronger queens and kings.

T8s is playable in position three-handed, so I open to 2.5bb rather than flat the blind and play a bloated pot out of position later.

Q6 offsuit is too weak to defend out of position against a button open.

Q7 offsuit is too weak to 3-bet, but the price is reasonable against a button open and I can see a flop in position relative to the opener.

Q-high has little showdown value on this paired, low flop, and checking preserves the option to continue based on the button's action.

Dry paired flop and the preflop caller checked, so a small c-bet with two overcards can take the pot down cheaply and still has some equity if called.

Q-high has little showdown value and no meaningful draw on this paired, low board. The small bet offers tempting pot odds, but calling leaves me with few good turn cards.

T3o is too weak to open from the button, even in 3-handed play.

K4 offsuit is weak, but I’m getting favorable pot odds heads-up against the big blind, so I’ll complete rather than inflate the pot.

43 offsuit is too weak to raise, and checking is free after the small blind just completed.

I have top pair on a connected board, so a small bet can get value from weaker hands and charge draws while keeping the pot manageable with my weak kicker.

4c3h has no pair, no draw, and no equity against a bet on KhJhTd. Folding is the only +EV option.

KQs is a strong button opening hand three-handed. Raising to 250 builds the pot while applying pressure to the blinds.

85s is too weak to continue out of position against a button raise, with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids a dominated, low-equity spot.

J2o is far too weak to defend out of position against a button open.

45 offsuit is too weak to open first-in from the button with both blinds still to act.

J6 offsuit is too weak to complete or raise from the small blind out of position. Folding is standard.