Hold'em table

With three players and the button, suited 5-3 is a reasonable wide open. A small raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

Q8s is suited and playable versus a 2.5bb button open in three-handed play, so I call 200 rather than fold a hand with decent equity and implied odds.

Holding 94s out of position against a button open and a small blind call does not realize enough equity to justify calling 150 chips.

I have second pair with a weak kicker out of position against the preflop raiser, so I check to control the pot and see the turn.

I have no pair and only a backdoor diamond draw, so I’ll take the free card in position.

I have queens and eights on a double-king board, so I only beat hands without a king. Checking controls the pot and avoids a difficult decision if the preflop raiser raises.

I have a flush draw but no made hand, and checking takes a free river card while avoiding a bluff into a paired board.

I have one pair of queens on a paired-king board and act first. It has some showdown value, but betting risks a raise from a king or better and is unlikely to get called by worse often enough, so I check.

I have a king-high flush, which is strong after both opponents checked through the flop and turn. A modest river bet can get called by weaker pairs while limiting losses if the opponent slow-played a full house.

I have kings and queens with an eight kicker and only need to call 300 into 900. That price is too good to fold two pair, and raising would mostly get called by better hands.

T5 offsuit is too weak to open first to act, even on the button. Folding avoids putting chips in with a hand that plays poorly against raises and misses most flops.

In a blind-vs-blind spot after the button folds, QJs is a very strong hand to open-raise for value and initiative.

2♦6♣ is a very weak offsuit hand, and calling a 3x raise from the small blind would be unprofitable out of position.

On the button 3-handed with zero rake, suited queens are profitable to open with position.

4♥2♥ is too weak to defend out of position against the button’s raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

J7s is too weak to continue out of position against a button open; dominated jacks and poor postflop playability make folding the higher-EV choice.

8-3 offsuit is too weak to profitably continue, even from the button; calling invites a multiway pot and raising risks chips with poor equity.

Button folded and KQs is strong heads-up against the big blind, so I raise to 3bb for value and initiative rather than just completing.

In a blind versus blind spot getting 2:1 with position, A7o has more than sufficient equity to defend against a standard open.

Dry T95 rainbow favors a small c-bet with two overcards as the preflop raiser; 200 is about one-third pot and can fold out worse hands while keeping the pot manageable.

I hold Ace-high with virtually no draw on a coordinated flop facing a continuation bet, making fold the standard play.

45 offsuit is too weak to call or raise from the button for a full big blind, so I fold and wait for a better hand.

AJo is very strong blind vs blind; raising to 3bb builds the pot and applies pressure on the big blind.

KJo is strong enough to defend against a blind-versus-blind raise, but calling keeps dominated hands in and avoids inflating the pot out of position.

On a low, connected board that heavily favors the big blind's calling range, checking with Ace-high out of position is prudent to control the pot.

K-high has useful showdown potential with two overcards, but little immediate equity on this low, connected two-heart board. I’ll take the free card rather than build a pot against the preflop raiser.

I hold Ace-high with showdown value on a board where the flop went check-check, so checking the turn keeps the pot manageable.

The turn check gives me a chance to take the pot with a small delayed bluff; the bet also keeps the cost modest when called.

We have unimproved Ace-high out of position with no meaningful draw, making a call against a turn bet unprofitable.

Opening 97s on the button in 3-handed play is standard to apply pressure and utilize position.

K3 offsuit is a marginal but playable blind defense against a button raise, and the pot odds support calling rather than turning it into a bluff-raise.

54s is too weak to 3-bet into a raise and a call, but closing the action for 150 into 600 is a cheap multiway price with suited connectivity.

Top pair is strong enough to continue, but with a weak kicker and two opponents on a coordinated flop, checking out of position keeps the pot manageable and lets the preflop raiser act.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker on a K-J board is not strong enough to bet into two opponents, and checking is free.

C-betting one-third pot multiway in position with a flush draw to apply pressure and build the pot with equity.

Top pair is strong enough to continue against this modest bet, but the weak kicker and two opponents make raising unattractive.

Bottom pair with a four kicker on K-J-5 is too weak to continue against a flop bet and a call; both opponents' ranges are heavily weighted toward kings, jacks, and better fives.

Top pair with a very weak kicker has showdown value, but betting risks building the pot against the preflop and flop aggressor's stronger Kx. I’ll check to control the pot and see the river.

Turned a pair of nines to go with our flush draw; checking behind controls the pot and realizes equity cleanly in position.

Top pair has showdown value, but my kicker is weak and the preflop raiser can have stronger kings. I’ll avoid a thin river bet and take the free showdown.

I have third pair with modest showdown value. Checking behind realizes this showdown equity against missed draws without risking a raise or getting called by better hands.