Hold'em table

Eight-seven offsuit is playable on the button in a three-handed game. A 2.5-big-blind open gives me a chance to take the blinds or play the hand in position.

Holding T5o out of position facing a button raise is an easy fold.

Pocket threes have enough set-mining value to call the button's small raise, closing the preflop action at a reasonable price. Three-betting would bloat the pot out of position with a speculative low pair.

With a small pair on an ace-high flop and the preflop raiser still active, checking keeps the pot small and avoids building a pot out of position with weak showdown value.

The ace-high flop favors my preflop raising range. A small continuation bet can fold out some of the big blind’s weaker hands without risking much.

My pair of threes is an underpair to an ace-high board with no draw, and the preflop raiser has continued betting. Folding avoids putting more chips in with very little equity.

Open-raising JTo from the button is standard in 3-handed play to steal blinds or play in position.

9-6 offsuit is a weak, disconnected hand out of position against a button raise with the big blind still to act behind; the small blind is not worth defending here.

Calling 100 into a 350-chip pot is a reasonable defense with K5 offsuit against a button min-raise, especially with the small blind's chips already in the pot.

King-high has little immediate value on this paired flop, and checking avoids building a pot out of position against the preflop raiser.

We flopped trips on a dynamic, draw-heavy board and bet small for value and protection.

K-high has little immediate equity on this paired board, and without a flush draw it is difficult to continue profitably out of position.

On the button with a playable connected hand, I will raise to apply pressure and take initiative rather than just call.

A7 offsuit has an ace blocker and can work as a three-bet bluff against a button open. Raising also avoids a difficult multiway pot from the small blind.

K2o is a weak hand facing a button open and a small blind 3-bet, so folding is clearly optimal.

Facing a large small-blind 3-bet with 5s6h offsuit, my hand is too weak to continue profitably. I fold rather than call 700 with poor equity and dominated potential.

Q8 suited is a profitable button open three-handed, and a 2.5 big blind raise pressures the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

J9s has solid playability and pot odds facing a standard button open in a zero-rake environment, making a call profitable.

T2o is too weak to defend from the big blind against a button raise and small blind call, even with good pot odds, because it plays poorly postflop out of position.

Check out of position on an ace-high board with a gutshot straight draw and backdoor flush equity.

A small continuation bet on this dry ace-high flop can fold out weaker hands while risking relatively little. Q8 suited also has some backdoor possibilities if called.

I have Jack-high with virtually no equity on an A-K-3 rainbow board that heavily hits the preflop raiser's range.

Q7o is too weak to open profitably from the button even in a 3-handed game.

Heads-up after the button folded, Q7o is strong enough to raise for value and to apply pressure on the big blind. A 2.5x open is a standard size that can take down the blinds or isolate a weaker calling range.

The small blind can raise a wide range after the button folds. Calling 150 more with position and a 350-chip pot is preferable to folding this marginal hand.

I have only queen-high with minimal equity on a wet board and am out of position; checking preserves chips and lets me fold to further aggression.

After the preflop raiser checks, a small bet can win the pot against missed hands. Nine-high has little showdown value, so taking a low-cost bluff opportunity is preferable to checking back.

My Qs7h has no pair and only a weak backdoor straight draw on a K-T-8 flop, and I am out of position against a bet. Folding avoids putting more chips in with very little equity.

K5s on the button is strong enough to open aggressively in a 3-handed game, applying pressure on the blinds and taking initiative.

Q8 suited has enough playability to defend against a button open at this price, though being out of position makes a large three-bet unattractive.

Getting 4.5 to 1 pot odds closing the action with a suited ace (A3s) makes calling very profitable.

I have no pair or strong draw on this flop, and I'm first to act against two opponents. Checking avoids investing more chips with a weak hand.

Check third pair with top kicker to control the pot in multiway action with the preflop aggressor still left to act.

I have top pair on a dry flop and both opponents checked to me, so betting for value and protection is best. A two-thirds pot bet charges draws and worse kings.

Queen-high has no pair or meaningful draw on this flop, and calling a bet with another player still to act is unlikely to be profitable.

Facing a 2/3 pot c-bet multiway on a K-high board, bottom pair with minimal backdoor equity is an easy fold out of position.