Hold'em table

J8o is too weak and easily dominated to open from the button for a full big blind, and I have nothing invested.

ATo is a strong hand blind vs blind; raising to 3bb to build the pot and apply pressure on the big blind.

7-2 offsuit is a very weak hand, and calling 200 chips against the raise is not worthwhile.

J3o is too weak to open from the button, even in 3-handed play.

Completing costs only 50 chips for a chance to win a 200-chip pot heads-up; folding this weak hand would give up the small blind already invested.

Button folded and the small blind only completed, so I raise A8o to take the lead heads-up and deny a cheap flop.

3♦2♥ is too weak to defend from the small blind against a raise, especially out of position.

J4 offsuit is too weak to open from the button facing the blinds, and calling invites a difficult, often multiway pot. I’ll preserve my stack for a better spot.

Q6 offsuit is too weak to complete or raise out of position against the big blind, so folding the extra 50 is the higher-EV play.

J8o is a standard button open in three-handed play: I have position and enough fold equity to raise rather than limp or fold. A 3bb open pressures the blinds without overcommitting a marginal hand.

K3o is far too weak to defend out of position against a button open.

9♦6♦ has reasonable equity against a button open and can make strong disguised hands postflop. Calling is preferable to folding for this price or 3-betting a marginal hand.

I have a strong but vulnerable two pair, so I’ll check to let the preflop raiser continue with bluffs and weaker hands. I can respond to a bet or reassess on the turn.

I have top pair on a dry-ish flop and the preflop caller checked to me, so a small continuation bet gets value and denies free cards.

My two pair is strong, but the board has straight and flush draws that could improve villain’s hand. Raise for value and protection against the small continuation bet.

I have top pair with position and need only about 23% equity to continue against this check-raise. Calling keeps the pot manageable and lets me reassess on later streets rather than folding a made hand or inflating it with a weak kicker.

The turn pairs the jack, strengthening hands like Jx and reducing the value of betting my two pair. I’ll check to control the pot and retain showdown value.

I have trip jacks with position after a turn check, so a modest value bet charges draws and gets calls from worse pairs while limiting damage against better jacks or full houses.

I have a pair of jacks and a pair of nines, which is a reasonable bluff-catcher at these pot odds. The opponent can still be betting draws or a bluff after calling the flop raise.

My two pair has reasonable showdown value, but the opponent called a flop check-raise and bet the turn, so a river value bet risks being called or raised by stronger hands. I’ll check and avoid turning it into a bluff.

I have trip jacks with the board pair, which loses only to full houses. Seat 3 checked the river after a flop check-raise and turn call, so a 2000 value bet can get called by straights, two pair, and one-pair hands.

The river T completes several straight draws, and the button has continued betting after calling my flop check-raise. My two pair is a weak bluff-catcher against this value-heavy line, so I fold.

Opening J9o from the button in a 3-handed game is standard to exert position and steal blinds.

T8 suited has reasonable playability against a button open, and calling the remaining 200 keeps the pot manageable from the small blind. I avoid a three-bet with a hand that performs better seeing a flop cheaply.

J5 offsuit is too weak to continue multiway against a button raise and a small-blind call; folding avoids a dominated spot.

I have a modest made hand on a paired board, and the preflop raiser has position. Checking keeps the pot controlled and lets me respond to their action.

I hold two overcards and a gutshot straight draw on a paired board in position. Checking behind takes a free card and controls pot size without risking a check-raise.

I have two pair with a ten kicker and can get value or protection from weaker pairs and draws after the flop checked through. A modest turn bet keeps the pot controlled on this highly connected board.

We have an open-ended straight draw (any Ten or Five gives us a straight) in position, getting over 3:1 pot odds on a turn bet of 250 chips.

My pair of eights has some showdown value, but the river queen improves many hands in the opponent’s range. Betting is unlikely to get called by enough worse hands, so I’ll check back.

Jack-high has virtually zero showdown value against missed hands like A-high or K-high flush draws. Betting 650 represents the rivered Queen or slowplayed trips and targets folds from better unpaired hands and weak pairs.

My two pair is a reasonable bluff-catcher against this modest river bet, and the button can have missed draws after calling the turn. Raising would mostly fold out worse hands and get action from better ones.

On the button, 8♣3♣ is playable as an open-raise in a three-handed game. A modest raise applies pressure to the blinds while keeping the risk controlled.

9-5 offsuit is too weak to continue against a button open from the small blind, so folding is the highest-EV option.

A9o is well ahead of a typical button opening range in 3-handed play and getting great pot odds to defend the big blind.

Checking out of position with middle pair top kicker to keep the pot manageable and see how the preflop aggressor reacts.

I have only a gutshot straight draw and no flush draw, so I’ll take the free card rather than bluff into a connected flop.

I have second pair top kicker on a very coordinated board with multiple straight possibilities. Checking is standard to control pot size and realize equity.

I have a weak pair on a highly connected board, so betting risks being raised by stronger hands and draws. I’ll take the free river card.

I have two pair with an Ace kicker on a coordinated board; checking allows me to realize showdown value without bloating the pot against straights or better pairs.

I have a reasonable two-pair showdown hand, but the connected board can give an opponent a straight. I’ll take the free showdown rather than risk a thin value bet into a check-call range.