Hold'em table

K2 suited is strong enough to open on the button three-handed, and a 2.5 big blind raise puts pressure on the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

5-3 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind versus a button open, especially with the big blind still behind.

JTo in the big blind facing a 2.5x button open gets good odds (150 to win 400) and plays well postflop, so calling is standard; 3-betting is an option, but calling keeps the opener's range wide.

This low paired board favors the button's opening range, and JT high has little equity here, so check to the raiser rather than lead. Plan to fold to a large bet and maybe peel a small one with the overcards and backdoor potential.

A small continuation bet on this dry paired flop can fold out some overcards while keeping the risk modest with king-high and a backdoor flush draw.

Getting about 4:1 against a small c-bet on a dry paired board. JT has two overcards and backdoor straight equity, which is enough to continue against the button's wide range.

Jack-high with no pair and no real draw on 7-4-7-6. Out of position against the preflop raiser, the best option is to check and give up if he bets.

The turn connects with the big blind’s calling range, and king-high has little equity when called. Checking keeps the pot small and preserves the chance to improve on the river.

Jack-high has almost no showdown value. The river completes flushes and straights that fit my check-call line, and villain showed weakness by checking back the turn, so a roughly 70% pot bluff should fold out many of their medium hands.

King-high has little showdown value on this connected, three-diamond board. Calling 650 is unlikely to be profitable against the river bet.

Pocket eights are a strong button opening hand three-handed. Raising to 3bb builds value while retaining maneuverability.

KQo is well ahead of a wide 3-handed button opening range, so a 3-bet from the small blind for value and initiative beats flatting out of position with the big blind still behind.

KTs is not strong enough to cold-call this large three-bet with the original raiser still to act. Folding avoids a costly spot with uncertain equity.

Pocket eights are strong enough to defend against the small blind's 3-bet in position, while avoiding unnecessary variance from a 4-bet.

Top pair with a king kicker on a dry board in a 3-bet pot, out of position; a small c-bet of about a third of the pot gets value from worse queens, nines and pocket pairs while keeping my range protected.and my range advantage.at low risk.and pot manageable.and keeps worse hands in.and denies equity.and sets up later streets.and is consistent with my 3-bet range.and keeps it simple.

Facing a large continuation bet in a 3-bet pot on a Q-high board, pocket eights have poor equity against the likely strong preflop range. Folding preserves chips.

K5 offsuit on the button in a 3-handed game is a standard open-raise, so I'm making it 2.5bb to steal the blinds.

K9 offsuit has enough strength to defend against a button open at this price, but not enough to build a large pot out of position.

Pocket tens are a strong 3-handed holding and benefit from isolating the button opener while charging the caller. A 900 total keeps weaker hands and draws paying while building value.

K5o is too weak to continue against a big blind squeeze over an open and a call, especially with the small blind still left to act behind us. Calling 650 into 1400 with a dominated hand is unprofitable.

K9 offsuit is too easily dominated by the big blind's sizable reraise, and playing it out of position makes a call unattractive.

K9 offsuit is a profitable button open three-handed. Raising to 250 pressures the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

A2 offsuit performs poorly from the small blind against a button open with the big blind still behind, so folding avoids a dominated, out-of-position spot.

In the big blind facing a 2.5bb button open, I only need to call 150 into a 400 pot, about 27% equity. 87o is a standard defend here and plays well postflop.

With 87 on 2-9-5 two-tone I have a gutshot to the 6 plus a backdoor straight draw, and the board favors the button's raising range. Checking to the preflop raiser and continuing against a small c-bet is the standard play.

Top pair with a strong kicker is likely ahead of the big blind's calling range. A 350-chip bet gets value from weaker pairs and charges club draws.

The gutshot to a 6, backdoor straight draws and some implied odds make this a reasonable defend against a small c-bet from a wide button range. We need about 28% equity at these pot odds, and this hand has enough equity plus realization to call rather than fold.

The turn gave me an open-ended straight draw (any 6 or J completes it). I'll check out of position to the preflop aggressor and plan to call a reasonably sized bet, given the pot odds and implied odds.

Middle pair with a strong kicker can get value from draws and weaker pairs. Betting also charges hands with substantial river equity.

I have an open-ended straight draw: a 6 or a J gives me 8 outs, about 18% equity. I'm getting 25.5% pot odds, and the deep stacks give enough implied odds to make calling better than folding or raising.

The straight draw missed, and a weak pair of sevens has some showdown value but is too weak to bet for value against a double-barreling range. Check and reassess if villain bets.

My pair of nines has showdown value, but a third bet is unlikely to get called often enough by worse hands. Checking avoids paying more against a ten or a stronger nine.

Ace-king offsuit is a strong button opening hand in three-handed play. I raise for value and to pressure the blinds.

Q5 offsuit from the small blind facing a button open to 3bb, with the big blind still to act, is too weak to call or 3-bet profitably out of position.

A7 suited is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button open, and calling keeps the pot manageable out of position.

With ace-high and only a backdoor flush draw on this paired flop, checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me evaluate the button's action.

With ace-high on a paired board after the caller checks, checking back realizes equity and avoids needlessly inflating the pot against a range containing many queens, eights, and pocket pairs.

The nut flush draw gives me strong equity, and the flop check-back suggests the opener may have a hand that folds to a turn bet.

Ace-high has a gutshot to Broadway and can still be ahead of turn stabs and draws. Calling preserves equity without overrepresenting on this paired board.

Ace-high has some showdown value against missed draws. A river bluff is unlikely to fold out many of the pairs that called the turn.

After the turn lead is checked back on the river, a medium-sized bluff can fold out missed draws and some one-pair hands such as a ten. My ace-high has little showdown value against the likely betting range.

Ace-high is unlikely to beat a river bet after the turn call, and holding two hearts blocks some of the missed draws the opponent could be bluffing.

Three-handed on the button, 84 suited is a reasonable steal candidate against two blinds. A small open to 2.5bb puts pressure on them without risking much.

T6 suited is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still to act.

Ah2h plays well as a suited ace in a blind-versus-button spot. A 3-bet applies pressure to the button's opening range while retaining strong blocker value.

84s is a weak button open, and the big blind's 3-bet to 9bb leaves us out of the pot's shape: we'd call 650 into 1,850 with a hand that realizes equity poorly against a 3-bet range. Folding is the disciplined play.