Hold'em table

A6o is a profitable standard open from the button in 3-handed play.

JTo has enough equity against a button open in a 3-handed game, and the pot odds (150 to call into 350) are favorable. I'll call and evaluate postflop, keeping the pot manageable out of position.

Q3 offsuit is weak facing a raise and a call; folding is best from the big blind here.

I have no pair or strong draw on an ace-high flop and am out of position against the preflop raiser, so checking is the safest way to control the pot and see what develops.

I have top pair with a weak kicker on a dry ace-high board. Checking back controls the pot and keeps the opponent's weaker range in play.

I have no pair and only J-high on a coordinated board; checking keeps the pot small and avoids bluffing into a preflop raiser who could easily have an ace or better.

We have top pair with a gutshot to the higher straight on a board where any three makes a straight. Checking behind controls the pot and allows us to realize our showdown value safely.

I have a pair of jacks with showdown value, and the opponent has checked flop and turn, suggesting weakness or a trap. Checking controls the pot and avoids getting raised by a possible ace.

I have a pair of Aces with a weak kicker on a coordinated board; checking back preserves showdown value against missed draws and avoids running into a straight or better Ace.

With K7o on the button in a 3-handed game, calling 100 into a 150 pot with position is reasonable; raising would risk too much with a marginal hand and no reads.

9-2 offsuit is a weak hand; not worth completing from the small blind against two other players.

KJo is well ahead of a button open-limp range, so raising builds value and applies pressure out of position.

K7o is too weak to continue against a big blind raise after limping, and calling 300 more out of position with a dominated hand is unprofitable.

Button open with A7 suited, a standard raise to isolate the blinds and take initiative.

A8o plays poorly out of position against a 3x button open with the big blind still to act, making folding the standard play.

Closing the action with A4s for 200 into 450, I have enough equity and position disadvantage is manageable; calling keeps the pot controlled.

With bottom pair and no position, I prefer checking to control the pot and see the button's action on a coordinated board.

I raised preflop and missed, but with ace-high and backdoor equity, a continuation bet here can pick up the pot since BB checked, representing a strong king or jack.

I have bottom pair with an ace kicker and only need about 28% equity to call the 400 bet into 1050. The button's range is wide, so calling keeps worse hands and bluffs in while avoiding a risky raise with a marginal made hand.

I have bottom pair with a gutshot, but the opponent has shown strength by raising preflop and betting the flop. Checking controls the pot and lets me see the river without committing more chips.

I have ace-high with no pair, no draw, and no real equity on this board; checking back controls pot size and avoids bluffing with no fold equity read.

Bottom pair with an ace kicker has marginal showdown value but is too weak to bet for value. Checking controls the pot and avoids getting raised by stronger hands.

My hand is only a weak pair of sevens with ace kicker; no value in betting into a range that called two streets, so I check and hope to win at showdown.

T7o is too weak to profitably open from the button even in 3-handed play.

Complete the small blind with a speculative hand, keeping the pot small and seeing a cheap flop.

I'm the big blind with 4s5h, a weak hand, and can check for free since the small blind just limped; no reason to raise with a marginal holding.

I flopped middle pair with a backdoor straight draw on a wet board. Betting for value and protection against overcards and straight draws is best.

4-5 offsuit missed the board completely against a bet; no equity to continue.

4h7c is a weak offsuit hand with poor playability, and calling 100 chips out of position as the button is not profitable. Folding avoids unnecessary risk.

Cheap price to see a flop heads-up with decent pot odds despite a marginal hand.

Check our option in the big blind with A8o to see a flop in position against the small blind's limp.

I flopped trip sixes, a strong hand on this dry board, so I should bet for value to build the pot while my opponent might still call with a pair or ace-high.

Holding Ace-high with an eight kicker on a paired, dry 6-2-6 board, we have sufficient showdown equity and backdoor potential against the small blind's limp-lead range to justify calling 120 in position.

I have trip sixes with a jack kicker, a strong hand on this dry board; betting for value to build the pot.

I hold only Ace-high with an eight kicker on a paired, coordinated board, facing a second barrel from the small blind with no significant draw.

Suited connector on the button, raising to build pot and take advantage of position against two limpers.

Folding K7o from the small blind facing a button open, as it plays poorly out of position and is dominated.

With 2s6h in the big blind facing a button raise, this is a very weak offsuit hand that plays poorly postflop and has insufficient equity to continue profitably. Folding avoids investing more chips out of position.