Hold'em table

J2 suited is a marginal but playable button open in three-handed hold’em. A small raise uses position and gives the blinds a chance to fold.

Calling 175 into 375 with an ace-high, backdoor wheel potential, and a likely wide button opening range; I can reevaluate if the big blind squeezes.

Ace-nine suited is a strong hand, and calling 125 into a 550 pot gives good odds to see a multiway flop without bloating the pot out of position.

Ace-high with no pair on a dry flop and out of position; checking controls the pot and avoids building a large pot with a weak made hand.

I hold Ah 9h, top pair-ish on a 9d6c3h flop with an ace-high backdoor; checking keeps the pot small and is free since no bet is facing me.

With only jack-high and a backdoor flush draw against two opponents, I prefer to take the free turn card.

With only ace-high on a paired board and two opponents, checking controls the pot and avoids putting chips in as a likely underdog.

I hold a pair of nines with an ace kicker on a paired board, a medium-strength hand, so I take the free check rather than bloat the pot.

J-high has little showdown value, but a turn bluff into two opponents on this board is unlikely to get enough folds. Checking avoids investing more with no meaningful draw.

With ace-high on a double-paired board and no river action yet, checking realizes showdown value and avoids risking chips against any paired hand that would call a bet.

We hold two pair on the board with an ace kicker and have no bet to call, so checking is the free, legal line; betting into a checked-around river isn't clearly profitable.

Jack-high has some showdown value on this double-paired board. A bet is unlikely to fold out stronger pairs, so I’ll take the free showdown.

QJ offsuit on the button has enough equity to call the big blind and see a flop in position, while avoiding a risky preflop raise.

A4 suited is a playable hand, and calling the 50-chip difference in a multiway limped pot keeps my cost low without committing more chips preflop.

Eight-deuce suited is too weak to raise for value out of position, and I can see the flop for free.

I have only ace-high with a 4-high backdoor draw on a T-3-9 flop, so checking to control the pot is reasonable when no bet is required.

With eight-high and only weak backdoor draws in a three-way pot, checking avoids investing chips with little equity.

I have an open-ended straight draw with two overcards on a checked flop, so a semi-bluff bet can take the pot down or build value if called.

I have only ace-high with a backdoor flush draw, but the 200-chip call is cheap against a 700-chip pot, so calling keeps me in with the ace as showdown equity.

Eight-deuce has no pair or immediate draw on this flop, and a bet plus a call makes continuing unprofitable.

I hold a pair of fours with an ace kicker on a paired-looking board, which is modest and vulnerable to the aggressor's range, so I'll check to control the pot and see the turn action.

Semi-bluffing with an open-ended straight draw and two overcards; opponent checked the turn and may fold better hands or weak pairs.

I have a pair of fours with an ace kicker, and calling 400 into a 1100 pot is about 27% pot odds, which is close to what this hand needs against a range that is likely wide on the turn.

I have two pair, nines and fours with an ace kicker, on a paired board against an aggressive opponent who may hold a stronger nine or ten, so I'll check and keep the pot manageable.

My QJ missed all draws, but the river 9 is a scare card and opponent checked. I represent trips or a strong made hand to fold out Tx and missed draws.

I hold two pair (nines and fours with an ace kicker), which beats many bluff-heavy river bets, and calling 1000 into a 2500 pot gives reasonable pot odds against this aggressor's range.

Seat 3 holds 2s6h, the weakest possible preflop hand, facing a 100-chip call with no positional or hand strength to justify continuing, so folding is correct.

K8 offsuit is strong enough to raise from the small blind after the button folds. A 2.5 big blind open puts pressure on the big blind without committing too much.

6d3h is a very weak offsuit hand facing a raise, and calling 150 more out of position with poor playability is not profitable.

T7 offsuit is playable as a button open in a three-handed, rake-free game. A 2.5-big-blind raise gives me a chance to win the blinds while retaining position postflop.

Q4s is too weak to continue out of position against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

Calling 150 to win a 400 pot gives good pot odds against a button steal, and J5 offsuit is a reasonable defend from the big blind.

I have J-high with a weak three-heart draw, so I'll check to see the turn cheaply rather than bet into the preflop raiser.

Bottom pair has some showdown value, but betting risks building a pot against better pairs or facing a check-raise. I'll keep the pot small and reassess on the turn.

I hold J-high with no pair on a 9-K-7-T board facing no bet, so checking is the cheapest way to see the next card.

Two pair is strong enough to value-bet after the big blind checks twice. A 425-chip bet charges straight and flush draws while getting calls from many king-high hands.

I have J-high with a flush draw and an 8-straight draw, about 28% to improve on the river, which is slightly short of the roughly 30% needed to call 425 into a 975 pot. Villain's turn bet is likely strong, so folding is reasonable.

On the button in a 3-handed game, 6d3d has enough suited/connected equity to attack the blinds with a standard open rather than passive-call from the button. A raise to 300 applies pressure and gives me initiative with position.

Two-king-high offsuit is weak out of position against a button raise, and calling 250 to see a flop is not worth the price.

Nine-eight offsuit is a marginal but reasonable big-blind defense against a button open, especially with the small blind folded and 200 chips to call.

Top two pair is strong on a draw-heavy flop. Betting builds the pot against overpairs and draws while charging them to continue.

My 3d6d completely missed this flop with no pair, no flush draw, and only a weak backdoor straight possibility. Facing a 450 bet into 1100, I do not have enough equity to continue.

Pocket eights are a strong three-way preflop hand, so I raise from the button to build the pot and take initiative over the blinds.

J-6 offsuit is too weak to call a button raise from the small blind, especially with the big blind still to act.

Closing the action with Ah6h against a button open, I have enough equity and pot odds to call 200 more. Raising would bloat the pot out of position with a marginal suited ace.

I have the nut flush draw and an overcard, but the board is paired and I'm out of position. Checking controls the pot and lets me see a free turn.

Pocket eights are an underpair to the king on the board, and the big blind checked to us, so checking keeps the pot small and lets us see the turn cheaply.

I have the nut flush draw and an overcard, and opponent showed weakness by checking the flop, so a semi-bluff bet can take down the pot or build it with good equity.

Our pair of eights is beaten by any king on this K-Q-K-2 board, and the turn bet after a flop check-through likely represents a king, so calling 450 into a pot of 1100 is not justified by our equity.