Hold'em table

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

With the button folded, A3 offsuit is strong enough to raise heads-up against the big blind.

6-2 offsuit is the worst starting hand. Calling 200 more out of position against a small-blind raise to 300 is a losing play, so I fold.

T3 offsuit is too weak to open profitably from the button against two unknown opponents.

Ace-queen offsuit is a strong hand heads-up against the big blind after the button folded, so I raise for value from the small blind with a standard sizing.

75 offsuit is too weak to defend against a 3.5bb raise from the small blind.

A3s on the button in a 3-handed game is a strong enough hand to raise for value and position, with a wheel draw and an ace blocker. A 3x open puts pressure on both blinds.

Q9o is too weak to call or 3-bet from out of position in the small blind against a button open.

Nine-seven offsuit is a marginal defense against a 3x button raise, especially out of position. Folding avoids a difficult postflop spot.

K2o is too weak to open profitably even from the button in a 3-handed game.

Pocket eights are strong heads-up against the big blind. I raise for value and to discourage a free flop.

A2o offsuit in the big blind, getting 450+250 pot odds facing a 3.5x small blind open in a 3-handed game; the SB range is wide so calling is reasonable and keeps the pot small out of position. A 3-bet bluff is possible but calling is simpler and lower variance.

A small flop bet can deny equity to overcards and draws while keeping the pot manageable with a medium-strength pair.

Ace-high with a backdoor wheel draw is getting about 4:1 on a call (230 to win 930). Seat 2's bet is small, so I can call to realize equity and keep bluffs in range rather than fold or bloat the pot.

With 88 on a paired board, betting is unlikely to get called by many worse hands. Checking controls the pot and preserves the option to bluff-catch.

I hold ace-high with a wheel gutshot on a paired J-Q board, so showdown value is marginal and a bet mostly folds out worse hands while getting called by better. Checking to see a cheap river is reasonable.

Pocket eights have showdown value, but a river bet is unlikely to get called often by worse hands. Checking keeps the pot small and lets the opponent act with missed draws.

Ace-high on a paired board with Q-J is mostly a showdown-value hand. Seat 2 checked the river and could hold many better hands or missed draws, so a thin bet would mostly get called by better hands and fold out worse ones. Checking is the safer play.

T9 suited is a strong button opening hand with good postflop playability. A 2.5 big blind raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

5h2h is a weak hand out of position against a button raise with the big blind still to act, so calling 200 more is not worth it. Folding is the disciplined play.

Getting attractive pot odds (150 to call into a 400 pot) closing the action in the big blind against a button open, K9o is well within the standard defending range.

Check to the preflop raiser as the out-of-position defender with King-high.

I have a gutshot and some showdown value, but this paired board connects well with the big blind’s range. Checking back lets me realize my equity in position.

Check out of position on the turn with King-high and a weak flush draw after the flop checked through.

The ace favors my preflop raising range, and the big blind has checked twice. A modest turn bet can fold out better unpaired hands while I still have a gutshot if called.

Holding King-high with only a 9-high flush draw on an Ace-high board, calling a turn bet offers insufficient equity and poor reverse implied odds.

JTs on the button in a 3-handed game is a strong hand with good playability, so I open-raise to 2.5bb to take initiative and put pressure on both blinds.

Q2o is far too weak to defend out of position against a button raise.

The button’s 2.5-big-blind raise gives me a reasonable price to defend the big blind. K2 offsuit is weak, but calling is preferable to folding or building a larger pot out of position.

Top and bottom two pair is strong on this dry flop. Checking lets the preflop raiser bet weaker hands while keeping those hands in the pot.

Heads-up in position on a dry K-5-2 board after the big blind checked. I have two overcards to the 5 and 2 plus a backdoor flush draw and a gutshot-ish Q/A-high outs. A small continuation bet of about half pot takes down the pot often against a checking range and keeps some equity when called.

Top and bottom pair is strong on this dry flop. Raising builds value against Kx and draws while giving weaker hands a reasonable price to continue.

Jc Tc on 5h Kd 2c has only a backdoor flush draw and two overcards to the 5 and 2, with no pair. Facing a check-raise to 1100, calling 800 into a pot of 1950 needs about 29% equity, and my hand is likely behind a king or a set, so I fold.