Hold'em table

Jack-ten suited is a strong button open in three-handed play, so I raise to 2.5 big blinds to build the pot and take the initiative.

KQo is well ahead of a standard 3-handed button opening range, making a 3-bet for value and initiative out of the small blind standard.

Q4 offsuit is too weak to continue against a large 3-bet, especially with the button still in the hand.

JTs has enough equity and playability against a small-blind 3-bet to continue. Calling keeps the pot manageable rather than bloating it with a 4-bet that can be shoved over.

On a low, connected board after 3-betting preflop, checking two overcards out of position controls the pot and protects our checking range.

Seat 2 was the preflop 3-bettor and checked this dry flop. With only two overcards and no draw, I check back rather than bet into a strong range that can continue or raise.

Turned top pair second kicker after the flop checked through. Betting 60% pot for value and protection against draws and weaker pairs.

Jack-ten high has no pair and no draw on this board, and six river outs are not enough to call a 1200 bet into 3200 against a preflop three-bettor.

54 offsuit is too weak to open even from the button in 3-handed play.

A8 offsuit is strong heads-up against the big blind after the button folds. Raise to 300 to take initiative and extract value while applying pressure.

A2o is too weak to continue out of position against a small-blind raise; the ace is often dominated and the pot odds do not justify a call.

53 suited is weak, but on the button it is playable in a three-handed pot. A modest raise takes the initiative while preserving position.

Q7s is too weak to continue out of position against a button raise, with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids a dominated, low-realization spot.

Holding nine-four offsuit out of position against a button raise is an easy fold.

84o is too weak to call or open from the button; folding avoids putting 100 chips in with a dominated, low-playability hand.

Pocket sixes is a strong hand blind versus blind; raising to 3 bb allows us to build the pot and take the initiative.

Q4 suited is a marginal but playable big-blind defend heads-up against the small blind; calling gets a reasonable price without inflating the pot.

The flop of 9-T-J heavily favors the defending big blind's range while leaving our pocket sixes as an underpair, making a check the standard play out of position.

I have an open-ended straight draw and can apply pressure after the preflop raiser checks. A moderate bet builds the pot when I improve while retaining fold equity.

Holding an underpair on an extremely coordinated 9-T-J board with no significant draw, folding to a two-thirds pot bet is clearly standard.

76 offsuit is too weak to open profitably from the button even in 3-handed play.

With the button folded, completing costs only 50 chips into a 150-chip pot. Even this weak hand has enough equity at that price to see a flop.

J2o is too weak to raise, and checking is free as the big blind after the small blind merely completed.

I have a weak pair with some showdown value, and this connected, two-diamond flop gives the big blind plenty of potential draws. I’ll take the free card rather than risk a raise with a marginal hand.

Bottom pair on a connected 2-3-4 flop is too weak to bet for value, and the opponent has already checked. Checking keeps the pot small and realizes equity cheaply.

I have two pair after pairing both hole-card ranks, which is strong against a checked-to opponent. A modest bet can get value from weaker pairs while charging straight draws.}

Bottom pair with a weak kicker on a connected two-diamond board needs over 29% equity to call 140, and a delayed 70% pot turn bet is too often 9x or better. I only have two clean outs when behind, so folding is higher EV.

T3 offsuit is too weak to open from the button, and calling would invite a multiway pot with poor playability.

Q6 offsuit is too weak to continue out of position after the button folds; limping invites a raise and a steal raise has poor equity when called.