Hold'em table

87o on the button in 3-handed play is a standard open, so I'm raising to 2.5bb to take the initiative and pressure the blinds.

T5 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against an early 2.5bb open with the big blind still behind.

Calling 150 with pocket threes offers good pot odds and a chance to flop a set against the button's raise. Folding would give up too much equity for this price.

My pair of threes is weak on this ace-high board, and I'm out of position against the preflop raiser. I'll check to see how he reacts and likely fold to any bet.

The ace-high board favors the button raiser's range, so a small c-bet can fold out better hands. It also gives me some backdoor equity.

Pocket threes are far behind the opponent's likely ace-high or better range on this flop, and I have almost no draw to improve. Calling would be chasing two outs out of position, so folding is the disciplined play.

JTs is a strong, playable button opening hand in three-handed play. I raise to apply pressure and build a pot with position.

Weak offsuit hand facing a raise out of position; folding is the lowest-risk option.

In the big blind against a 2.5x button open, K5o is a standard defend: I call 150 to win a pot of 550, so I need about 27% equity. Three-betting is not needed with this hand.

K5 with a backdoor diamond draw has little equity on QJJ against a button raiser's range, which hits this board well. Checking to the preflop raiser is the standard play from the big blind.

We have trip jacks with a strong diamond draw on a paired, coordinated board. A small continuation bet extracts value from Qx, diamonds, and straight draws while keeping weaker hands involved.

King-high with only backdoor draws on a paired, connected board is too weak to continue against a ~73% pot c-bet. Calling needs about 30% equity, and this hand has well under that against a button range.

5-6 offsuit is too weak to continue preflop against two blinds; folding avoids putting in chips with a dominated hand.

A7o is well ahead of a random hand in a blind-vs-blind spot. Raising to 3bb takes the initiative and builds value, where limping would leave me out of position against the big blind.

K-high with a deuce is too weak to defend against the small blind's raise, especially out of position.

Q8s is a clear open from the button in 3-handed play, so I'm raising to 2.5bb to take the initiative and pressure the blinds.

J9 suited has sufficient playability to defend the small blind against this small button open, especially with favorable direct pot odds.

Getting 5:1 pot odds to close the action, so I call and see a flop with my marginal hand.

With middle pair on an ace-king-high board in a three-way pot, checking preserves pot control and lets me respond to opponents' actions.

The flop hits the opponent's range with an Ace and King, and my hand (2d Ts) has no pair or meaningful draw. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids spewing chips with a weak holding.

The A-K-3 board strongly favors my preflop raising range, and both players checked to me, so a small one-third-pot c-bet should win often. Q-high with a backdoor spade flush draw is a fine hand to bluff with.

With only jack-high on an ace-king board facing a multiway continuation bet, continuing has too little equity and poor implied odds.

We have T-high with no pair or draw on a board that likely connects with the preflop raiser's range. Folding is the disciplined play to avoid chasing with minimal equity.

Q7 offsuit is a reasonable button steal in a three-handed game; raising applies pressure to the blinds and can win uncontested.

Q7o is marginal but I'm getting reasonable pot odds in the small blind against a button open, so I'll call and see a flop.

Getting 5:1 closing the action preflop makes a call with 95o profitable despite being out of position in a multiway pot.

I have only queen-high with no real draw on this flop, so I take the free card and see the turn cheaply.

The flop gives me a gutshot plus a backdoor straight draw with no pair, three-way, and the preflop raiser is still to act behind me. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me see what he does.

With only a gutshot to the jack and two opponents on a king-high board, checking back preserves equity and avoids inflating a marginal multiway pot.

I have only a gutshot straight draw with no made hand, and acting first into a multiway pot makes betting risky. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me see the river for free.

With an open-ended straight draw (a 7 or Q completes it) and the flop checked through by all three players, a semi-bluff of about two-thirds pot can take the pot now. If called, I still have eight outs.

We have only a gutshot straight draw with insufficient direct pot odds against the turn bet, and pairing the queen is unlikely to be reliable.

On the button with a suited K5, I'll open with a small raise to pressure the blinds and take control of the hand.

Against a wide 3-handed button min-raise, Q8s makes a good 3-bet from the small blind. The raise takes initiative and reduces how often we play out of position multiway with the big blind still to act.

A3 suited is not strong enough to continue from the big blind against an open and a large 3-bet, especially with the opener still behind.