Hold'em table

On the button with no prior raise, 7-6 offsuit is playable as a small open. Raising gives me a chance to win the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

A7o plays poorly out of position from the small blind against a button open, with the big blind still left to act.

A8o is a fine defend in the big blind against a button min-raise-ish open, getting good odds (150 to win 400) heads-up.

Ace-high with a king-paired board, first to act heads-up against the button. A small bet gets value from worse kings-less hands and denies equity.

I have a pair of sixes and position against a small flop bet. Calling keeps weaker hands and draws in without building a large pot against a king.

Holding Ah 8s on a Kh Kc 6h 4d board, I have ace-high with a backdoor-free nut-flush-draw-less hand but a heart flush draw (Ah with Kh, 6h on board gives only three hearts, so no real draw). Since the button called the flop, a modest bet of about half the pot could win the pot now against a capped range, so I'm betting 500 instead of checking.

The 500-chip bet gives me sufficient pot odds to continue with a six. The big blind can also take this line with weaker pairs or heart draws, so I’ll call and reassess on the river.

I have ace-high on a Kh Kc 6h 4d 9h board, which only beats a bluff. The button called flop and turn bets, so its range is mostly made hands that beat me. I'll check and take a free showdown rather than bet.

My two pair has showdown value, but the river completes the heart flush and leaves stronger hands in the opponent’s range. Checking avoids a thin value bet that may get called mainly by better hands.

J4o is too weak to open raise or call on the button, even in 3-handed play.

J4 offsuit is a weak hand, and playing it out of position against the big blind is unprofitable. Completing costs only 50 into a pot of 150, which is a fair price, but the hand plays poorly postflop, so I'll give it up.

8-6 offsuit is a weak hand; even on the button in a 3-handed game it is marginal, and calling out of position after the blinds act carries little value, so a fold is the safer choice.

Calling 50 chips offers good pot odds heads-up. With 9-5 offsuit, I prefer a cheap flop to raising out of position.

I have J5 offsuit in the big blind facing an SB limp; checking to see a free flop in position is the standard, low-variance play.

Bottom pair plus a gutshot has value against the big blind’s wide range. A small bet charges overcards and draws without committing much of the stack.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker on a highly connected board offers poor playability and equity against a 3/4 pot bet.

KQs is a strong button opening hand with good postflop playability, so I raise to build the pot and apply pressure to the blinds.

K2o is far too weak to defend out of position against a button open, with the big blind still to act behind.

Q5 offsuit is weak; facing a 2.5x button open, calling 150 out of position with a poor hand is marginal, so folding is simplest.

Open-raising with a pocket pair on the button is standard in 3-handed play to take initiative and build the pot.

T6 offsuit is a weak hand out of position against a button raise with the big blind still to act behind. Calling 150 to play a bloated pot out of position has negative expected value, so I fold.

QTo has enough equity against a button min-raise to defend the big blind for one more blind, despite being out of position.

Top pair is strong enough to continue, but checking to the preflop raiser avoids building the pot prematurely with a moderate kicker.

With an underpair to the two high cards on the board and modest showdown value, checking behind in position is the safest line.

Top pair is likely ahead after the flop checked through. A turn bet gets value from weaker pairs and draws while denying them a free river.

I hold fourth pair with only two outs to improve to a set, facing a 2/3 pot turn bet where my equity is far too low to continue.

4-2 offsuit is one of the weakest starting hands, and calling out of position postflop against two opponents isn't worth 100 chips. Folding is the disciplined choice.

Calling costs 50 into a 150-chip pot. With a weak hand out of position, I prefer a cheap flop to building the pot with a raise.

Check back with Q7o in the big blind to see a free flop against the small blind limp.

Bottom pair and a weak flush draw are not strong enough to build a pot out of position on this monotone flop. Checking keeps the pot manageable.

I have queen-high with no spades on a monotone ace-high board, so taking a free turn card is the safest and most standard play.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker has some showdown value, but a bet is unlikely to get called by many worse hands. Checking keeps the pot small.

We have Queen-high with no draw on a monotone board. Checking back to see the river for free is standard.

Bottom pair has some showdown value against missed draws. Betting is unlikely to get called by worse hands, so I’ll check.

I have Queen-high with no showdown value, but bluffing into a limped pot where the opponent might call down with weak pairs is unprofitable without strong blockers.