Hold'em table

K8o is playable as a button open in three-handed poker, and a small raise takes the initiative with position rather than flat-calling the big blind.

J7o is too weak to defend from the small blind facing a button open out of position.

With the dead small blind in the pot, calling 150 gives a reasonable price to defend the big blind heads-up with suited cards. Raising would be too ambitious with this weak holding.

I have only 6-high with no immediate draw, so I’ll take the free card rather than bluff into the preflop raiser.

King-high with no pair or draw has thin showdown value on an ace-high flop, so I check back rather than bluff into a range that often continues.

A modest turn lead can credibly represent an ace or king and pressure the button’s checked-back hands. My cards have little showdown value, so I’m using a small bluff size rather than building a large pot.

I have second pair on a board they checked through the flop, and 300 into 850 is a price I can continue with. Raising is too thin with a weak kicker, so I call and reassess the river.

I have no pair or meaningful showdown value, and there is no bet to call. I’ll check rather than bluff into the river pot.

I have second pair on an ace-high river with straight possibilities, and seat_3 checked after betting the turn. Checking back realizes showdown value without bloating the pot against a stronger hand.

83o is unplayable trash, even on the button. Clear fold.

With 9♦6♦, completing the small blind is a reasonable low-cost play heads-up against the big blind. I’ll avoid building a larger pot out of position with a marginal hand.

A9 suited is ahead of a small-blind limp heads-up, so I raise to 400 to build the pot and deny free equity.

9♦6♦ is too weak to defend against a large raise out of position, even with suited potential.

84 suited is weak, but calling the blind completion keeps the pot small while letting me play in position with some flush potential.

T6o is too weak to complete out of position multiway for half a blind, and raising it would create a bloated pot with a poor hand.

I have J5s in the big blind facing a button limp and SB fold; taking a free flop is standard.

Checked my option preflop with J5s and missed the flop entirely. Checking to see what the button does.

A small stab can win the pot after the big blind checks, and my hand has backdoor flush and straight potential if called.

I have unmade Jack-high with virtually no draw on an Ace-high board, making this an easy fold against the flop bet.

72 offsuit is the worst starting hand and is not worth calling a blind or raising from the button. Folding preserves the full stack for better spots.

In a blind-versus-blind spot after the button folded, Q8s has strong playability and equity, making an open-raise to 3bb standard.

K♦6♠ is a reasonable heads-up defend against the small blind’s raise, and calling gets to see a flop without inflating the pot with a marginal hand.

The paired ace board strongly favors the preflop raiser's range, making a small continuation bet profitable with backdoor equity.

I have only king-high with no meaningful draw, and the small blind's flop bet gives me little reason to continue.

Opening on the button with an Ace in 3-handed play is standard to apply pressure to the blinds.

KJo is strong enough to 3-bet a button min-raise three-handed; raising also avoids inviting the big blind into a multiway pot while I’m out of position.

89 offsuit is too weak to continue against a button open and a small-blind 3-bet, especially out of position. Folding avoids putting more chips in with a dominated, low-equity hand.

A3o is too weak to call a 3-bet or 4-bet bluff against the small blind's strong re-raising range.

I’m on the button with a suited hand and can apply pressure to the blinds. A small open gives me a chance to take the pot preflop while preserving positional advantage if called.

QTs is ahead of much of a button open and plays well as a 3-bet from the small blind, taking the initiative and denying the big blind a cheap flop.

T6o is completely unplayable facing an open raise and a 3-bet out of the big blind.

8♦3♦ is too weak to continue against the small blind’s large preflop 3-bet. The call price does not make up for the hand’s poor equity and playability.