Hold'em table

Ace-queen offsuit is a strong starting hand in a 3-handed game, so I raise for value and to take the initiative from the blinds.

T7s in the big blind against a small-blind open of 3x is getting 2:1 (200 to win 400), and SB opening ranges are wide in a blind-vs-blind spot, so a call is clearly profitable. We also have position postflop.

I have an open-ended straight draw (Q-J-T) with only ace-high and no made hand, and three players are in, so I'll check and keep the pot small rather than bet into two opponents.

Middle pair in position against a check on a draw-heavy board; a small bet gets thin value from weaker pairs and draws and denies equity, while keeping the pot manageable.

With Qd and As on a Td 5h Jd board I hold a strong draw: a flush draw plus two straight outs (K or 9). Calling 250 into an 1100 pot is well within the pot odds for that equity.

I have an open-ended straight draw (K or 8 completes) but no made hand, and checking keeps the pot controlled while I see whether the draw connects.

Middle pair on a connected board that improves many of the opponent's calling hands, so checking back keeps the pot small. It also lets me realize my gutshot to the eight for free.

I hold a pair of aces with a queen kicker on a paired-free board, which is a medium-strength hand that can win at showdown but is vulnerable to a bet, so checking keeps the pot small and gives me a free showdown.

Middle pair of tens has some showdown value on a scary three-diamond board with an ace. Betting would mostly get called by better hands and fold out worse ones, so checking back is best.

Calling 100 from the button with 7-4 suited is a cheap speculative call against two blinds, with position and suited straight potential.

Completing for 50 chips into a 250-chip pot gives a good price, even with a weak, out-of-position hand like 43o, in a limped multiway pot. I plan to play cautiously postflop.

T9o in the BB with both limpers; checking keeps the pot small with a weak hand and avoids bloating it out of position.

With 4-high on a trips board, I'm first to act in a 3-way limped pot. Anyone holding a ten or a pair beats me, so checking and giving up cheaply is best.

I have 2d9d with trip tens on board; my hand is only a weak nine-high kicker. No value in betting, so I check and keep the pot small.

I have 7-4 with no pair against a board of trip tens, so I have no showdown value and should not bet. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids investing chips with a hand that can't win often.

I have 4-high on a TTT-J board, so I'm effectively playing the board. Bluffing into two players out of position gets poor fold equity, since any J, A, K, Q or ten continues, so I check and keep the pot small.

Board TTTJ gives everyone trips; my 2d9d is weak kicker. No fold equity worth betting for, so I check and try to reach showdown cheaply.

Holding 7c 4c with no pair on a paired T-T-T-J board, I have little showdown value, so I take the free check rather than bet into two opponents.

My hole cards don't play on this board, so I have essentially no showdown value. But a bluff into two opponents, either of whom can call with any high card or a Jack, is unlikely to get folds often enough, so I'll check.

My 9d2d doesn't connect; the board (TTT-J-5) plays itself and any bet likely folds out worse hands while only better kickers call. Free showdown is best.

I have seven-high with no pair on a paired board, so I can't win by betting for value and a bluff isn't worth it against two players who have already checked. Checking is the free, sensible option.

Q7s on the button 3-handed is a profitable open; a standard 2.5bb raise to steal the blinds.

A4 offsuit is too weak to call 200 more against a 2.5x button raise out of position; folding is the profitable play.

Facing 150 to call into a 400 chip pot with 7-10 suited, the price is good enough to see a flop in a three-way pot.

My 7-10 has only a backdoor flush draw on this Kd Qd 2d board, so checking keeps the pot small and avoids bloating it out of position.

Second pair with no diamond on a monotone board has showdown value but is vulnerable and gets called mostly by better hands. Checking back controls the pot and realizes equity.

I hold a diamond flush (Kd Qd Td 7d 2d), which is very strong on this board, so I bet about two-thirds pot for value while the opponent has shown weakness by checking the flop.

With queens and a 7 kicker on a paired, monotone board, I'm getting about 28% pot odds. I'm ahead of bluffs and weaker pairs that could bet this turn, so a cheap call beats folding or raising into likely Kx or flushes.

My 7-high with an ace on board is too weak to bet for value, and checking is free, so I keep the pot small and see whether seat_3 shows aggression.

Queens and kings with a 7 kicker has showdown value against missed draws and weaker pairs, but would rarely get called by worse if I bet on this A-K-K-Q-2 board with three diamonds. Checking back keeps the pot small.

Queen-nine offsuit is a marginal hand, but completing the small blind for 50 more is cheap with the button already folded. I'll see a flop rather than raise with this holding.

Free flop with a suited connector-ish hand in position against a limping small blind; checking keeps the pot small and realizes equity.

Top pair with a modest kicker in a three-way pot, so I'll check to keep the pot controlled and see how the big blind acts.

Limped pot and SB checked to us, so a small stab with our backdoor flush draw and gutshot-ish equity (we'd need a 9-T) can take it down often. Checking back is also fine, but a cheap bet works well here.

I have top pair (queens) with a 9 kicker facing a single 100 bet into a 300 pot, so calling is reasonable and keeps me in against a possibly weaker range.

I hold top pair with a queen and a nine kicker on a three-card-heavy board, which is good but not strong enough to bloat the pot. Checking keeps the pot controlled and lets me see whether seat_3 keeps betting.

With a flush draw facing a player who has checked twice, a semi-bluff bet of about 70% pot gives fold equity and builds the pot in case a heart lands.

I have top pair (queens) with a nine kicker, and calling 275 into a 675 pot is a reasonable price against a possibly aggressive seat. I'll call rather than fold a strong pair or raise into a possible made hand.

I hold a pair of queens with a 9 kicker on a paired-looking but connected board, which is a medium-strength hand that is best played as a showdown check rather than a bloated river raise into a player who has been aggressive.

My 8-high has almost no showdown value. The opponent's limp-and-check-call line looks capped, with many missed draws and weak pairs, so a sizable river bluff can fold out enough of that range to be profitable.

I have a pair of queens, which is likely good against a wide bluffing range, and calling 700 into a 1650 pot needs only about 23% equity. I'll call rather than fold to a river bet from an aggressive opponent.

Ace-jack offsuit is a strong hand in a 3-handed game, and the button has positional advantage. A raise to 300 builds the pot and may win the blinds.

KJo from the small blind against a button open in 3-handed play is ahead of a wide button range and plays poorly out of position as a call, so a 3-bet works for both value and fold equity. The BB is still left to act behind.

Q4o is far too weak to call 1000 more against a 3-bet with two opponents behind potential pressure. Folding is clearly best.

Facing an 800-chip call into a 1500 pot, AJo has roughly enough equity against a 3-bet range to justify calling in position.

As the preflop 3-bettor, a small c-bet on this low disconnected board can fold out many of the caller's unpaired broadway hands. My two overcards still have equity if called.

With A-J high holding two overcards to the board and pot odds of about 20% needed to call 800 into 3100, calling is reasonable without a made hand.

KJ has only a gutshot plus overcards on a turn card that connects with the button's calling range. Checking keeps the pot controlled and lets us realize equity cheaply rather than barreling into likely made hands.

I have only ace-high with a jack and a possible 9-straight draw, and seat_3 has already checked, so checking keeps the pot small and avoids bloating it without a made hand.

King-high rarely wins at showdown against a range that called the 3-bet and the flop c-bet, then checked back the turn. A two-thirds pot bet can fold out the ace-high hands that beat us and some weak pairs.

I hold only ace-high with no pair, no straight, and no flush on a paired-free board, and calling 2600 into a 6500 pot needs about 29% equity against a line that has been aggressive throughout. Folding is the better expected-value choice.

A4o on the button in 3-handed play is a clear opening hand; a standard 2.5bb steal pressures both blinds.

Holding 6s-Th is a weak offsuit hand facing a button raise to 250 with 150 to call from the big blind, so folding avoids a marginal out-of-position spot.