Hold'em table

8-4 offsuit is too weak to profitably open on the button under typical 3-handed blind defense ranges.

Pocket fives are strong enough to raise against a single opponent, and I can apply pressure while taking control of the hand.

Getting 3:1 in position against a small-blind min-raise in a blind-vs-blind spot, K6o is an easy defend; calling keeps the pot manageable.

The SB checked, and it was a timeout fallback, which suggests weakness. With K-high plus a backdoor flush draw in position on a dry-ish board, a small stab of about a third of the pot should take it down often.

Calling 130 into 530 gives good pot odds with my pair of fives; I'm ahead of many bluffs and can improve to a set.

My pair of fives is weak on this coordinated board with flush and straight possibilities, so I check to see what the opponent does rather than risk more chips.

A semi-bluff with a flush draw, a gutshot to the 7 and a king overcard. Betting about two-thirds of the pot gives fold equity and builds the pot for my outs.

My pair of fives is far behind the turn bet on a board with straight and flush possibilities, and I have almost no outs to improve to a winning hand. Folding saves chips for a better spot.

A3o is a clear raise in a blind-vs-blind spot: the ace blocks big-blind strength and the hand has fold equity. A 3bb open is standard from the small blind.

9-high with a weak kicker is not worth defending against the small blind's raise, especially out of position.

64o is too weak to open profitably even from the button in a 3-handed game with 100bb stacks, so folding is the disciplined choice.

Raise the strong ace heads-up from the small blind to apply pressure and build value against weaker holdings.

Jh8h is suited and playable heads-up, and I'm getting good pot odds to defend my big blind. I'll see the flop in position.

Checking back preserves our ace-high showdown value and lets us realize equity on this paired, two-diamond board.

I flopped trips with a decent kicker, so I should bet for value while the pot is still small and charge any diamond draws or overpairs.

The small continuation bet gives favorable odds with ace-high, a diamond, and some chance to improve. Calling keeps weaker hands and bluffs in while avoiding an inflated pot with a marginal holding.

With ace-high and little equity improvement on the paired turn, checking keeps the pot controlled and preserves showdown value against missed overcards.

I have trips with a decent kicker, so I want to extract value and charge any diamond or straight draws on this turn.

Ace-high with a weak flush draw is not strong enough to continue facing this large turn bet. Folding preserves chips against a range that is likely to contain made eights, tens, or strong draws.

AJ offsuit is a strong button opening hand three-handed, so I raise for value and initiative.

5-4 offsuit is too weak to continue against a raise out of position, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding preserves my stack for better spots.

QTo in the big blind against a 2.5x button open in 3-handed play is a clear defend: we're getting 150 to win 400, and the hand plays well postflop. It's too weak to 3-bet for value, so calling is best.

Top two pair on a draw-heavy board; leading for value and protection rather than risking a free card if the button checks back.

AhJd has a gutshot to Broadway plus overcard equity against many one-pair holdings, and position lets us realize that equity. Calling preserves flexibility rather than inflating the pot against a BB range that connects with this board.

Two pair (queens and tens) is still strong on a board with straight and flush draws, so I bet about two-thirds of the pot for value and protection against the spade draw and hands like Kx or Qx.

I have the nut straight on K-Q-T with A-J. Raising for value targets strong one-pair/two-pair holdings, sets, and lower straights while charging draws.

Two pair on a coordinated board facing a turn raise: our hand is too strong to fold at about 27% pot odds, but shoving would mostly get called by sets, straights and KQ. Calling keeps us in against draws and bluffs while controlling the pot.

Queens and tens is a medium-strength hand against a turn raise, since it loses to AJ, sets and KQ. Checking keeps his missed spade draws in his range and avoids betting into hands that beat us.

I have Broadway on a dry river after the turn raise was called. A moderate value bet can be paid by strong one-pair and two-pair holdings without risking an overlarge sizing that folds them out.

Top two pair is well ahead of missed spade draws and the thinner value hands that could raise the turn. Calling 3000 to win 9490 needs only about 24% equity, so a call is justified. Raising would only get called by hands that beat us.

T6o is too weak to continue against the blinds from early position; folding preserves chips.

Pocket nines are a strong hand in a blind-vs-blind spot, so raising for value to 3bb is standard.

Getting 3.5:1 heads-up from the big blind, A8 suited has sufficient equity and playability to defend against a small-blind raise.

Out of position on a dry paired JJ2 board with 99, a small cbet of a third of the pot gets value from 2x, pocket pairs below 99 and overcards, and protects against overcards. It also keeps the pot small if BB has a jack.

The small continuation bet on a paired board can include many unpaired overcards, and A-high retains showdown value plus backdoor improvement potential. Calling keeps the pot manageable in position.

The Qc turn improves many of BB's flop-calling hands and adds a flush draw, which weakens 99. Checking out of position controls the pot and keeps bluffs in their range, so I can call a reasonable bet.

Ace-high has some showdown value against missed overcards, while the paired board and flop call make a turn bluff unlikely to fold enough better hands.

99 is a decent bluff-catcher that beats pocket pairs, 8x and 2x which may call a small bet, so a small blocking value bet is reasonable after the turn checked through.

We have a pair of eights with an ace kicker and get favorable pot odds against a small river bet. This can beat missed draws and weaker one-pair bluffs.

Q9s on the button in 3-handed play is a clear open-raise; 2.5x puts pressure on the blinds.

T7 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still to act.

KTo is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button open, and calling keeps the pot manageable while out of position.

I have top pair with a decent kicker on a fairly dry board, so I want to bet for value and protect against straight draws.

Queen-high with only backdoor draws against a donk lead of nearly pot size. That call needs about 30% equity, which this hand doesn't have, so I fold.