Hold'em table

9-4 offsuit is a very weak hand even on the button; calling 100 chips preflop has negative expectation against two opponents.

Holding a pocket pair in a blind-versus-blind confrontation, raising to 3 bb allows us to seize initiative and apply pressure.

K8 offsuit is strong enough to defend against a small-blind opening range at 2-to-1 pot odds. Calling preserves weaker hands in that range and lets us play in position postflop.

Flopped bottom set on a dry board; betting one-third pot for value and to target calling ranges like gutshots, middle pairs, and top pairs.

K-high has no direct draw or backdoor flush draw on this board. Despite the small bet, this is a weak candidate to continue because its improvement potential and ability to withstand further betting are limited.

On the button in 3-handed play, Q6s has enough equity and playability to open for a standard min-raise.

83 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids investing more with poor equity and positional disadvantage.

Facing only a 2bb button raise heads-up, 3s5s is suited with straight potential and getting good pot odds to defend the big blind.

With bottom pair and a weak kicker out of position against the preflop raiser, checking preserves the pot and lets me evaluate a turn bet rather than building a pot with a marginal hand.

The flop of Jc 5d 9d is wet and connects well with the big blind's calling range, so checking behind with Queen-high and no strong draws is prudent.

Bottom pair of 5s has modest showdown value after the flop checked through, but the turn King favors the preflop raiser and many draws remain. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids being raised or called by better pairs.

As the preflop aggressor, the King on the turn strongly favors my perceived range after checking back the flop. Betting 300 chips applies pressure to check-folding ranges while giving me 4 clean outs to a King-high straight.

Bottom pair of 5s with weak kicker facing a 300 turn bet into 750; only about 5 outs to improve and likely behind K/J/9 pairs or draws, so equity is below the ~29% needed to call.

QJo is a clear button open three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds pressures the blinds while retaining positional advantage if called.

64s is too weak to call a button raise out of position with the big blind still to act; pot odds are insufficient once poor equity realization is considered.

Getting 2.67-to-1 pot odds closing the action against a wide button opening range, QTo is an easy standard defend.

Check to the in-position preflop aggressor with two overcards on a connected board.

This connected, two-club flop favors the big blind’s calling range, and QJ has no meaningful draw or club blocker. Checking preserves our equity and avoids a vulnerable continuation bet.

I have queen-high with no draw on a connected board, so checking to see a free river is the best option.

This connected low board favors the big blind's range, and Q-high has no meaningful draw or straight blockers for a bluff. Checking preserves the chance to improve on the river without investing into a range that can readily continue.

I have queen-high with no flush or straight blockers on a coordinated board, making a bluff unlikely to show a profit against checking ranges that often include Ace-high or weak pairs.

Q-high has limited showdown value, and three checks leave the opponent with many weak hands. A roughly two-thirds-pot bluff can fold out ace-high, king-high, and some weak pairs on this coordinated river.

I hold Queen-high on a paired, coordinated board and cannot beat any value hands or most missed draws that bluff with Ace-high.

KJo is a strong broadway hand on the button in 3-handed play, well ahead of blind ranges. Raising builds the pot in position and pressures the blinds.

Holding pocket eights in the small blind against a button open, a three-bet to 10bb isolates the opener and denies equity while playing for value against a wide range.

83 offsuit is far too weak to continue against a raise and a substantial three-bet, especially with the original raiser still to act. Folding avoids investing more chips with poor equity and no useful bluff blockers.

KJo is strong enough in a 3-handed button vs small-blind spot to continue in position; calling 750 into 1350 gives workable pot odds against a wide 3-bet range.

Check to control the pot out of position with an underpair to the Ten and evaluate villain's action.

With king-high, two overcards and backdoor heart/straight potential in position, checking takes a free card and realizes equity without risking a check-raise from a 3-bettor's overpair range.

I hold a mid-pair on a paired board where checking allows me to control the pot size and realize showdown value against opponent's missed broadway cards.

Opponent 3-bet preflop but checked both flop and turn, signaling weakness or missed overcards. Betting here can fold Ace-high hands that beat my King-high while I still have overcard equity if called.

We hold an overpair to the paired board, and our double-check line induces stabs from missed hands and floats that checked back flop. Getting good pot odds, 88 is high in our checking range to call one bet.

I hold two pair, eights and sevens, which is a marginal showdown hand on this coordinated board. Checking to see a free showdown or evaluate a bet is the optimal play out of position.

King-high has little showdown value against a turn-calling range, but Kh/Jd blockers and opponent's river check make a sizable second barrel profitable against missed hearts and weak Ace-high hands.

Holding an underpair to the board on a runout with straights and higher pairs possible, facing a substantial river bet after calling the turn, 88 is only a bluff-catcher that also blocks some busted straight draws with the eight.

Holding 7c 2d offsuit, which is the weakest starting hand in Texas Hold'em, folding on the button is standard.

Q7 suited is strong enough to open from the small blind after the button folds. Raising to 3 big blinds pressures the big blind while retaining reasonable playability if called.

9-6 offsuit is too weak to defend the big blind against a small-blind 3x raise, lacking equity and playability postflop.

A9 offsuit is a clear button open three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds pressures the blinds while retaining positional advantage if called.

AKo is a premium hand 3-handed against a wide button open; 3-betting for value from out of position with a larger sizing to charge calls and build the pot.

Holding J6 offsuit facing a button open and small blind 3-bet is an easy fold.

A9 offsuit is a weak defense against a small-blind three-bet, with substantial domination risk and limited postflop playability. Position does not sufficiently compensate for calling another 650 chips against an unknown range.