Hold'em table

Q5 offsuit is a weak hand with poor playability even from the button in a 3-handed game; folding avoids playing a dominated hand out of position postflop.

In a blind-versus-blind spot after the button folded, 64s has good playability and makes an effective open-raise to apply pressure.

9♣8♦ is a playable hand heads-up from the big blind, and the price is favorable enough to call rather than 3-bet.

I hit bottom pair on a wet board and want to control the pot size out of position.

I have top pair and can get value from weaker pairs while charging spade draws and overcards. A small bet keeps the pot manageable against a stronger jack or a check-raise.

Getting 4 to 1 on a call against a small 1/3-pot bet in a blind vs blind battle, bottom pair has enough equity to continue.

I turned trips with three fours, and checking to the flop aggressor allows them to continue bluffing or betting worse made hands.

I have a modest pair with a decent chance of winning at showdown, but the preflop raiser can have plenty of Jx and stronger hands. I’ll take the free card rather than inflate the pot.

I have trip fours on a board where the flush completed. Checking allows missed draws to bluff and controls the pot against flushes.

Holding 6c 2c on the button is too weak to open raise even 3-handed, making fold the clearly optimal play.

J-7 offsuit is playable heads-up against the big blind, but calling keeps the pot small while out of position. The price is favorable, and the big blind may check behind preflop.

9d4c is far too weak to raise, but checking the big blind costs nothing and lets me realize equity against the small blind's limping range. Folding would surrender a free pot opportunity.

I have only jack-high with no meaningful draw, so I’ll take the free card rather than bluff into the big blind.

I flopped middle pair (fours) on a dry 2-5-4 board, and the limped small blind checked to me, indicating weakness. A small half-pot bet targets A-high and worse pairs for thin value while keeping the pot manageable; I can easily fold if raised.

I have no pair or meaningful draw on this low, connected flop, so calling the bet is not justified.

Ace-queen suited is a premium button hand in a three-handed game, so I’m opening for value with a standard raise.

Ace-King suited is a premium hand; I 3-bet the button's open for value to build the pot and isolate, keeping pressure on both opponents with a standard ~3x sizing.

Q7s is far too weak to continue against an open and a 3-bet out of position.

AQ suited is strong enough to continue in position against the small blind’s 3-bet. Calling keeps weaker hands and bluffs in the pot without inflating it against a strong range.

I 4-bet preflop and missed the J73 flop; AK unimproved has poor equity versus a range that called 800, so checking keeps the pot controlled while preserving bluffs for later streets.

A small flop bet can fold out unpaired hands and deny equity, while my overcards and backdoor flush draw give me useful equity when called.

Getting 4:1 with AK plus a gutshot and two overcards on J-3-7; villain's stab range includes plenty of one-pair hands I can outdraw. Raising only isolates against JJ+/sets where I'm a big underdog, so calling is the best line.

I only have ace-high (no flush draw possible with just three spades total) against an opponent who bet the flop after my 3-bet got called. Checking keeps the pot small, may buy a free river card, and lets me fold to real pressure instead of bluffing into their continuing range.

With ace-high and no meaningful draw, a turn bet is unlikely to get called by worse after the flop call. I’ll take the free card and preserve showdown value.

With ace-high, I have reasonable showdown value against missed draws, while a river bet is unlikely to fold many better hands after the flop call. I’ll take the free showdown.

2h5s offsuit is the worst type of hand on the button facing a full BB call; folding loses nothing and preserves chips for better spots.

In a blind-vs-blind battle after the button folded, Q9o has decent equity and playability to raise for value and initiative.

T-8 offsuit has enough playability to defend the big blind against a small-blind raise, and the price is reasonable. I’ll call rather than inflate the pot with a marginal hand.

On a dry king-high flop favoring my preflop raising range, a small one-third pot continuation bet applies pressure and folds out many unpaired overcards.

I have no pair or immediate draw, and my backdoor possibilities are not enough to justify calling even this small bet. I fold and preserve my stack.

K5o is too weak to open profitably from the button even in a 3-handed game.

Completing costs only 50 chips into a 150-chip pot, giving favorable odds with the chance to see a flop if the big blind checks.

Heads-up against a limper, 95o from the big blind has enough equity to see a free flop rather than fold or inflate the pot with a marginal hand.

A small flop bet applies pressure on the checked-through preflop pot while giving my four-diamond draw a chance to improve. The sizing limits the cost if the big blind continues.

A2 offsuit is a reasonable button open three-handed, and a small raise applies pressure to the blinds while retaining position.

King-six offsuit is a weak hand and I'm out of position against the button's raise with the big blind still behind me. Folding avoids a marginal 200-chip call with a dominated hand.

Folding J2o in the big blind facing a button open raise, as it is far too weak to defend out of position.