Hold'em table

4-8 offsuit is a very weak hand from the button in a 3-handed pot, and calling 100 chips with poor playability is not profitable without reads.

In a blind versus blind battle, a pocket pair like 55 is well ahead of a random hand, so raising to 3bb is standard for value and initiative.

K6 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind against a small-blind 3x raise, especially with position after the flop.

With an underpair out of position on an 8-T-2 board with flush and straight draws, checking is standard to control the pot size and realize showdown value.

King-high has some showdown value, but this hand has too little equity when called to justify betting into a potential check-raise. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me see a turn.

The turn brings a four-straight and three-flush board that heavily interacts with the big blind's calling range, so checking our weak underpair is standard.

After the preflop raiser checked twice, a turn bet can win the pot now. If called, I still have a gutshot and a club flush draw.

Holding an underpair with no club on a wet board featuring straight and flush possibilities, folding to a turn bet is standard.

97o is too weak to profitably open on the button in 3-handed play.

With the button folded, A3 offsuit is strong enough to raise heads-up against the big blind. A larger small-blind raise helps offset playing out of position.

9s3s is too weak to defend against a small blind raise, especially out of position. Folding preserves chips.

6-4 offsuit is too weak to open profitably from the button against two players.

A5o is a decent hand heads-up; raising applies pressure and can take down the pot preflop or build a pot with equity.

Defending the big blind with suited one/two-gappers like J8s against an SB open is standard given position and pot odds.

With ace-high and no pair on a paired flop, checking keeps the pot small and avoids building a pot out of position against a preflop caller.

Flopped three of a kind with a decent kicker on a dry paired board; checking back keeps opponent's range wide and allows them to bluff or catch up on the turn.

With only ace-high on a paired, coordinated board and no strong draw, checking controls the pot and avoids building a large pot out of position against a preflop caller.

I have trip eights on a board with several drawing possibilities; betting two-thirds pot targets value from pairs and flush draws after opponent checked twice.

I have only ace-high with no pair or draw on a paired board, and the big blind's turn raise indicates strength; folding avoids further loss.

AJ offsuit is a strong button opening hand in a 3-handed game; raising to 3bb applies pressure and builds the pot with position.

54 offsuit is too weak to continue against a 3bb open raise from the button out of position.

QTo has enough equity against a button opening range to defend the big blind for 200 chips. Calling keeps the pot manageable out of position.

Top two pair is strong on this relatively dry flop. Checking to the preflop raiser gives them a chance to bet before I build the pot.

I have two overcards and a gutshot on a dry-ish flop, and my opponent checked. A half-pot continuation bet applies pressure and can take the pot down immediately.

Top two pair is strong against a button continuation bet. Raising builds the pot against weaker queens and draws while charging hands that can improve.

I have two overcards and a gutshot to the nut straight, and the price is reasonable at 900 into 2150. Calling in position keeps my range strong and lets me evaluate the turn.

The king improves several hands that called the flop check-raise, including straights and better two pair. Checking controls the pot with my two pair and keeps weaker hands in.

I hold the nut Broadway straight (A-J with K-Q-T on board), so I bet for value and to charge any flush draws or two-pair/set hands.

Two pair is strong enough to continue against this bet, but the king completes several straights and improves some of the opponent's likely hands. Raising would risk too much against that range.

The river is a blank, and top two pair can get value from AK, KJ, and some one-pair hands. A smaller bet targets those hands without committing the remaining stack against a raise.

I have the nut Broadway straight (A-K-Q-J-T) and no flush is possible on this board, so I am shoving for maximum value.

Top and third pair are strong enough to call 3600 into a 16450 pot. The raise is concerning, but I need to win only about 18% of the time, and some worse hands or bluffs can play this way.

T6o is too weak to open from the button, even in 3-handed play. Folding is standard.

Pocket nines are strong heads-up against the big blind. Raising for value also avoids giving a free flop.

A8o has enough equity against a small-blind raise in a 3-handed game, and calling closes the action with position postflop. Raising would inflate the pot with a marginal offsuit ace, so I prefer the controlled call.

A small bet with 99 on this dry paired flop can get value from smaller pairs and overcards while limiting the pot against a jack.

I have ace-high and position; the small flop bet gives good pot odds, so I call to see the turn and evaluate.

Pocket nines have showdown value, but the queen improves many hands that called the flop. Checking avoids building a bigger pot with a marginal hand.

Ace-high has some showdown value, and the opponent's turn check suggests weakness; checking controls the pot and avoids getting raised off a marginal hand.

Pocket nines have showdown value, but a river bet is unlikely to get called often by worse hands on this board. Checking avoids inflating the pot against a jack, queen, or completed straight.

Opponent checked the river after checking the turn, and my pair of eights has showdown value but is unlikely to get called by worse if I bet. I check to realize that value and avoid being raised by a better Jx or Qx.

Q9 suited is a profitable button open in a three-handed game. A 2.5 big blind raise pressures the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

T7o is a weak offsuit hand out of position against a button raise, and calling 200 more with poor playability is not profitable. Folding preserves chips for better spots.

KTo is a standard defense in the big blind against a button open, getting favorable pot odds of 150 to call into 400.

Check to the preflop aggressor with top pair, mediocre kicker to control pot size and protect our checking range.

A small continuation bet can pressure the big blind’s weaker holdings. I have a queen overcard and backdoor straight and flush possibilities if called.

I flopped top pair with a ten kicker, which is plenty strong enough to call a small one-third pot continuation bet from the button.

I have top pair with a mediocre kicker and a gutshot on a coordinated turn; checking to control the pot out of position is optimal.

I have a gutshot and some chance to improve with a pair, but little reason to build the pot after the flop call. Checking in position lets me see the river for free.

We hold top pair with a mediocre kicker on a board that has several straight possibilities. Checking allows us to get to showdown cleanly or bluff-catch if the button bets.

Queen-high is unlikely to win at showdown. The river completes several straights, and my nine blocks some of them, making this a reasonable bluff after the opponent checks.

I have top pair on a relatively dry runout where the opponent checked the turn after a small flop c-bet. Their river bet can easily be a bluff with missed high-card floats, making a call profitable getting better than 2:1 odds.