Hold'em table

A small button open can steal the blinds while risking little. Suited 7-4 also has some postflop potential, with position helping realize its equity if called.

Small blind with suited connectors has good implied odds to see a flop against a button raise.

Despite the favorable pot odds, 9-2 offsuit is too weak to defend profitably against a raise and a caller. It has poor playability and little chance of making a strong multiway hand.

Hand is 5c9c with no pair or draw on AQ2 flop. Checking to see a free turn and avoid building a pot with a weak hand out of position.

A small continuation bet pressures missed hands and pocket pairs on a board that favors my preflop raising range. I have little showdown value but retain a backdoor club flush draw if called.

I have 9-high with no pair, no draw, and the board has two overcards. Facing a half-pot continuation bet from a preflop raiser, my hand has almost no equity and no profitable bluff opportunity.

A7o is a slightly above-average hand with position; raising to 3bb pressures the blinds and gives a chance to take the pot preflop or play a favorable flop.

Seven-three offsuit is too weak to defend against a 3bb raise from the small blind, especially with the big blind still to act.

Calling costs 200 into a 450-chip pot, making 5♣4♣ a reasonable big-blind defense against a button open. At 100bb depth, its straight and flush potential supports seeing a flop without inflating the pot out of position.

This paired, high-card flop favors the preflop raiser, and my hand has almost no showdown value and only a backdoor flush draw. Checking avoids investing in a poor bluffing spot and preserves the option to respond to their action.

I have no pair but represent a strong hand on a scary board. Villain checked, showing weakness, so a c-bet of around 60% pot can take it down often.

With only a backdoor club draw and no meaningful showdown value, this hand cannot profitably call a 400-chip bet. It also lacks useful blockers for a check-raise bluff.

Pocket sevens are a clear button open three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds builds value, pressures the blinds, and preserves positional advantage if called.

T6 suited is too weak to continue profitably from the small blind against a 2.5bb button raise. Poor position and the big blind still to act make calling unattractive, and this hand is not a strong three-bet candidate.

Q7s has enough equity (about 35%) against a wide button opening range, and the pot odds of 2.67:1 make calling profitable. Raising or folding would be suboptimal.

I have top pair with a weak kicker out of position on a dry board. Checking to the preflop raiser keeps the pot manageable and lets me evaluate his action.

Pocket sevens have showdown value but gain little value from betting on this two-overcard flop. Checking in position keeps the pot manageable and preserves weaker hands in the opponent's range.

Top pair with a weak kicker on a draw-heavy turn; bet for value and protection after the button checked back the flop.

The turn is a relative blank, and the big blind can probe with draws and unpaired hands after the flop checks through. Pocket sevens have enough showdown value to call this sizing in position and reassess on the river.

We have a pair of queens with a weak kicker, and the river ace may have improved opponent's hand. Checking controls the pot and avoids value-owning ourselves.

Pocket sevens retain showdown value against missed draws and weaker pairs. A bet would mostly fold worse hands while getting called by better, so checking back is preferable.

86 offsuit is a marginal button open with weak high-card value and limited playability. Without evidence that the blinds overfold, I prefer to fold this bottom-of-range hand.

Folding Q3o from the small blind heads-up against the big blind; the hand is too weak to call even getting 3:1 pot odds, and we are out of position postflop.

A6s on the button three-handed is a clear open; raising to 3bb builds value, pressures the blinds, and keeps me in position postflop.

J9 offsuit is too weak to continue profitably from the small blind against a 3bb button raise, with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids playing a frequently dominated hand out of position.

Calling costs 200 to contest a final pot of 650. Against a typical wide button opening range, T8 offsuit has enough equity and connectivity for a marginal big-blind defense with no rake.

With ten-high and no meaningful draw on this dry queen-high flop, leading into the preflop raiser is unattractive. Check to preserve chips and see whether the opponent offers a free turn.

With middle pair and a backdoor flush draw, I have some showdown value but face a coordinated board. Checking behind maintains pot control and allows me to reevaluate on the turn with position.

Ten-high has no meaningful draw, and the king favors the preflop raiser's range. Checking avoids investing in a low-equity bluff on an unfavorable turn.

I have second pair with an overcard kicker on a board with two higher cards. Seat 1 has checked twice, possibly weak, but the turn king could have helped them. Checking behind controls the pot and sees a free river.

Ten-high has very little showdown value, while the button’s two checks suggest a weak or capped range. A roughly two-thirds-pot bluff can fold out ace-high and other better unpaired hands, with some pressure on small pairs.

I only have a weak pair of sixes with ace kicker on a board with two overcards. Villain's delayed river bet after my passivity often represents a queen or king, and I lack the odds to call profitably with bottom pair.

K3 offsuit is a marginal button open with two players still to act. Without evidence that the blinds overfold, folding avoids investing in a weak, frequently dominated hand.

42 offsuit is near the bottom of my range and realizes equity poorly out of position. Without evidence that the big blind folds too often, folding is preferable to completing or bluff-raising.