Hold'em table

On the button with Q8o in a 3-handed game, a standard raise applies pressure with a wide range advantage.

I have a weak Ace-high with a backdoor flush draw, so I'll call the small 200 to keep the pot manageable and see a flop rather than risking more with this hand.

62 offsuit is too weak to continue against a button raise and a small-blind call. Folding avoids putting more chips in with almost no equity.

I have top pair with a good kicker on a dry flop, but the opponent already raised preflop and I'm OOP. Checking allows me to control the pot size and potentially induce a bluff or take a free card.

I have top pair with queen, opponent checked, so I bet for value and to charge any flush draws on the two-club board.

I have top pair with the best kicker on a dry flop, and calling keeps the pot manageable while preserving stack depth for future streets.

Board is Ace-high with a club flush draw; my Ace-high with a backdoor flush is weak. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids building a big pot with a marginal hand on the turn.

I only have second pair with a flush completed on board; checking back controls pot size against a possible flush while keeping my equity live.

The board is a four-flush with no pair, and my hand is Ace-high with no club draw. Checking is the safest play to avoid bloating the pot with a weak hand against a likely strong range.

Board has four clubs making flush very likely for many hands; my top pair with weak kicker isn't strong enough to bet for value against a check-call line, so I'll take the free showdown.

I hold a weak offsuit hand (Ts 3c) and face a 100 chip call with no prior investment; folding preserves my stack for better opportunities.

Button folded, so this is heads-up versus the big blind with AQ offsuit. A raise to 300 builds the pot and applies pressure with a strong hand.

5-7 offsuit facing a 3bb raise heads-up is not worth defending; folding is the standard play.

A3 suited is a playable button open in three-handed play; a 2.5bb raise takes the initiative and can fold out worse hands.

Q9 offsuit facing a raise from three players is too weak to continue; folding preserves chips.

9c7d is weak and unsuited, and facing a raise-to 250 from the button with only 150 to call, the pot odds and hand strength don't justify continuing preflop.

K2 offsuit on the button facing a raise-sized call in a 3-handed pot is weak; folding preserves chips rather than investing in a marginal spot.

I have a pocket pair of eights and want to take the initiative preflop. A min-raise to 200 builds the pot while keeping my bluff risk low if I miss.

Button folded, so this is heads-up with position against a min-raise. A2o has enough equity and pot odds to continue rather than fold or inflate the pot.

I have a set of 8s on a dry flop with no immediate threats, and checking allows me to control the pot and potentially induce bluffs from my opponent.

Ace-high with no pair or draw has some showdown value and no reason to bluff into the preflop raiser after they check. Checking is free and keeps the pot small.

I have a set of eights on a board with two overcards and a backdoor flush draw. Checking keeps the pot controlled and avoids building a big pot with a vulnerable hand when the opponent could have a jack or queen.

Ace-high has some showdown value after two checks, and the paired board makes a bluff unattractive, so I check behind.

I hold a set of jacks on a board with two overcards to my set; checking allows me to control the pot and potentially induce a bluff from the opponent who has been passive.

Ace-high has some showdown value against a passive river check, and betting mostly gets called by better hands. Checking is the higher-EV line.

Calling the big blind with Th9h in position is reasonable; I want to see a flop cheaply and avoid being forced into a raise with a speculative hand.

52s is weak, but completing costs only 50 into a 250 pot, so the price is too good to fold. Raising would bloat the pot out of position with a dominated hand.

K9 offsuit is a marginal hand; with no raise to call and option to check as big blind, I check to see a free flop.

5h2h has no pair and only a backdoor heart draw on 6c7h7c, so there is no value in betting into two opponents. Checking keeps the pot small and preserves a free turn.

King-high with no pair on a paired board; checking back is fine since action is likely to be low-cost and I have little to gain by betting.

The board is paired with 7s and I hold a weak gutshot to a straight. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids building a big pot with a marginal hand.

I have no pair, draw, or showdown value on a paired ace board, so checking is best with nothing invested beyond the blinds.

I hold a backdoor flush draw with an overcard on a checked-down board; betting here applies pressure and gives me equity if called.

Calling 200 into a 500 pot on the turn with a straight-drawing T9h is a reasonable pot-odds play. I'll see the river cheaply to keep the hand alive without overcommitting.

5-2 has no pair, draw, or showdown value against a turn bet and a caller on a paired ace board, so calling is unprofitable.

My hand is just a board pair with king-nine kickers; not strong enough to bet for value and no reason to bluff into a caller, so I check to see showdown cheaply.

The board is paired with an Ace, and my Th9h is likely behind a better hand. Since there is no bet to call and I want to avoid building a bigger pot with a marginal hand, checking is the safest play to see a cheap showdown.

JTs is a strong suited connector on the button, so I open to 2.5x to build the pot and take the initiative before the blinds act.

Weak offsuit Q2 facing a raise from the button with a BB still to act; not worth continuing.

My hole cards are King-two offsuit, which is a weak holding. The button raised to 250 and I only have a call of 150 left, but the pot odds and hand strength don't justify continuing.