Hold'em table

8-high with a weak kicker is a poor button opening hand in this format, so folding preserves chips.

K9 offsuit is strong enough to raise heads-up against the big blind, rather than give a free flop.

JTo in the big blind versus a small-blind open is well ahead of the SB's wide range, and calling 200 into a 400 pot while holding position postflop is profitable. Three-betting would turn a strong playable hand into a bluff for no good reason.

This low, connected flop favors the big blind's calling range, and K9 has little equity when called. I’ll check rather than build the pot out of position.

The small blind checked a low, connected board. A small stab with two overcards can take the pot down often and keeps some equity if called.

K-high has no heart or meaningful draw on a flop that favors the big blind’s range. Playing out of position makes a call difficult to justify.

J-T suited is a strong button opening hand in three-handed play; a 2.5 big blind raise builds the pot while preserving position.

A5s-type hand (offsuit here) is a decent 3-bet bluff from SB vs a button open in 3-handed play; the ace blocker helps and 3-betting avoids playing out of position with a weak call. Sizing to 10bb.

8-9 offsuit is too weak to defend against a large small-blind 3-bet, especially with the opener still behind.

J-T suited plays well in position against a three-bet, and the price is reasonable with deep stacks behind.

As the preflop 3-bettor, a small c-bet with second pair, an ace kicker and wheel backdoors gets thin value, denies equity to overcards and draws, and keeps the pot manageable out of position.

J-high has no flush draw and only remote straight possibilities on this flop. Against a preflop 3-bettor's continuation bet, folding is preferable to continuing with so little equity.

Pocket nines on the button in a 3-handed game are a strong open. A standard 2.5bb raise builds the pot and takes the initiative.

Defend the small blind with suited-ish connectivity? 87 offsuit has enough multiway potential against a small button open at this price, especially with the big blind still behind.

Calling 150 closes the preflop action in a three-way pot. With deep stacks, pocket threes can profitably look to flop a set.

I have middle pair plus an open-ended straight draw on a coordinated board. A substantial lead can gain protection and value while retaining strong equity if called.

Pocket threes are weak on this flop. Facing a substantial bet with another player still to act, calling is unlikely to be profitable.

99 is an overpair on the dry 6-2-8 board, facing a 500 donk-bet into a 750 pot from the small blind, which is a range that includes draws and weaker pairs. Calling in position keeps his bluffs in and controls the pot size against possible sets.

I have a made pair with meaningful value against club and straight draws, while charging weaker eights and draws to continue. A medium turn bet also denies equity on this wet board.

Pocket 99 beats a lot of SB's donk-lead range (8x and draws), and now picks up a club flush draw plus set outs. Getting about 3.2:1 on the call, so calling is better than raising and folding out the worse hands.

Our pair of eights has limited value after the opponent called substantial flop and turn bets. Checking reaches showdown cheaply and avoids being called mainly by stronger queens or better eights.

Pocket nines have solid showdown value against missed draws and weaker pairs. A value bet would mostly be called by Qx or better and fold out worse hands, so I'll check back.

Open-raise the button with an ace to pressure the blinds and retain initiative.

KTo is strong enough to contest a button open three-handed. Reraising from the small blind puts pressure on the opener and avoids inviting the big blind in cheaply.

K6o facing a button open and a small blind 3-bet is too weak to continue, and the original raiser is still behind to act. Folding is clearly best.

A3 offsuit is too dominated to profitably continue versus this very large 3-bet, even with position.

QJo is a strong button opening hand three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds builds the pot while retaining position.

23o in the small blind facing a button open with the big blind still to act is a clear fold.

3-6 offsuit is far too weak to defend against a button raise, even at this small size.

In 3-handed play the button can open a wide range, and 96o sits comfortably in it. A 2.5bb steal pressures both blinds.

Q7 offsuit is too weak to continue from the small blind versus a button open with the big blind still behind.

Q4 suited has enough equity to defend the big blind against a button raise to 2.5 big blinds, especially with only 150 more chips to call.

With middle pair on a dry flop, I can check and evaluate the button's action without building the pot out of position.

On a dry low board that favors the raiser, a small c-bet with a gutshot plus overcard backdoors (9-high gutshot to 3-5-6-7... actually open-ended-ish draws with 5 or 8) gets folds and keeps equity.

Middle pair on a dry flop is strong enough to continue against this small bet, especially against a button opener.

My pair of fours has some showdown value, but betting out of position on this dry turn is unlikely to get called by many worse hands. I’ll check and reassess if the opponent bets.

The T turn is a good barrel card against a BB flop-calling range full of weak pairs and underpairs. Our gutshot to the 8 gives some equity as a semi-bluff, so a medium-sized bet puts pressure on those hands.

Third pair is a weak bluff-catcher against a second barrel on this dry board. Calling out of position leaves difficult river decisions, so I’ll fold.