Hold'em table

With only two opponents and the button’s postflop position, 8-7 offsuit is playable as an open. Raise rather than limp to apply pressure and take initiative.

Folding 75 offsuit in the small blind facing a button open.

Jack-six offsuit is far too weak to defend against a 2.5x button raise even at favorable pot odds, since it's dominated when it connects. Folding preserves chips for better spots.

Open-raising 2.5bb on the button with a decent connected offsuit hand to steal the blinds and realize position.

King-seven offsuit in the small blind is far too weak to defend against a 2.5x button raise; I'm dominated whenever a king appears and have poor equity otherwise. Folding preserves chips for better spots.

Q9 offsuit is a reasonable big-blind defend against a button raise, and the call price is modest relative to the pot. I’ll avoid reraising this marginal hand.

With queen-high and no meaningful draw on this low, disconnected flop, checking avoids building a pot without a clear value or bluffing advantage.

I have two overcards with backdoor straight potential on a dry low board; checking behind in position lets me realize equity for free.

A small turn probe can fold out some unpaired overcards after the flop checked through. I have little showdown value, and the 9♦ gives a modest blocker to possible diamond draws.

Holding ten-high with no draw on a low board facing a turn lead, folding is the standard and disciplined play.

J2s is far too weak to play from the button against two blinds with no prior reads; folding preserves chips for better spots.

KJo is strong heads-up against the big blind after the button folds, so I raise for value and initiative.

Holding King-nine offsuit in the big blind against a small blind open, we have position and favorable pot odds (200 to call into 400) to defend.

A small continuation bet can take the pot down while preserving a cheap way to realize my gutshot and backdoor flush equity.

Holding middle pair with a strong king kicker, calling a 1/3-pot continuation bet is plus-EV getting 4-to-1 pot odds.

I have a marginal made hand with second pair and a strong kicker, but the turn also improves some of the caller’s range. Checking keeps the pot controlled and lets me realize my showdown value.

I have third pair with a gutshot straight draw and good showdown value in position. Checking back allows me to see a free river card.

Make a small thin-value bet with a pair of jacks and a king kicker, targeting weaker jacks and other bluff-catchers while limiting exposure to stronger hands.

Getting excellent pot odds of 5 to 1 (calling 250 to win 1250), our pair of nines is sufficient to catch occasional missed draws on this runout.

K-8 offsuit is a reasonable button open three-handed. I’m raising to apply pressure while keeping the sizing modest.

J7o is too weak to call or 3-bet from the small blind against a button open.

Q2s is far too weak to defend the big blind against a 2.5x button raise; the dominated queen with a poor kicker plays badly out of position despite the small call price.

KQo is well within the standard button opening range in 3-handed play. A 2.5bb raise exerts position and builds the pot.

J3s is a very weak hand out of position against a 2.5x raise; folding minimizes losses with negligible equity.

J4 offsuit is weak, but the button’s small open and the dead small blind give favorable pot odds for a big-blind defend. Calling keeps the pot manageable out of position.

I have no pair, draw, or spade on a monotone flop that favors the preflop raiser. Check and avoid building the pot without equity.

I have second pair with no spade on a monotone ace-high board, making checking back ideal for pot control and showdown value.

I have no meaningful draw or showdown value, and the turn card does not give me a strong bluffing opportunity. I’ll take the free river card rather than risk chips into my opponent’s checked-back range.

Second pair with no spade has good showdown value; checking behind controls the pot and avoids walking into a check-raise.

The four-spade river is a strong scare card, and the button checked back both earlier streets. A modest bluff can pressure their unpaired hands while credibly representing a spade.

With four spades on the board and no spade in hand, our second pair is rarely ahead of the opponent's river bet.

J9s is a standard button open in 3-max with both blinds to act; raising to 2.5bb applies pressure and builds the pot with a suited connector that plays well postflop.

K4 offsuit is too weak to defend out of position against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

Holding 43o out of position against a button open is an easy fold despite getting decent pot odds.