Hold'em table

J8 offsuit is playable from the button three-handed. A small raise can win the blinds or take the flop in position.

Q2 offsuit is too weak to defend out of position against the button’s raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

AKo in the big blind against a button open in 3-handed play is a clear 3-bet for value, and raising to 10bb out of position keeps the pot manageable while building it.

J8 offsuit is too weak to call a large three-bet, even with position. Folding avoids committing more chips with a frequently dominated hand.

AKo is a premium hand on the button, so I’m raising for value and to take initiative.

75o from the small blind facing a 3x button open, with the big blind still to act, is a clear fold. We would be out of position with a weak hand.

QJo is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button open, but calling avoids building a large pot out of position with an offsuit hand.

With no made hand and only backdoor draws, I prefer to check to the preflop raiser rather than build the pot out of position.

I have top pair with the best kicker and should bet for value while charging spade draws and other overcards. A modest 300-chip bet keeps weaker kings and pairs in the pot.

Queen-high has no immediate draw on this king-high flop. Out of position against a bet, calling offers too little value.

On the button in a 3-handed game, 95 suited is a standard open against two blinds, so I'm raising to 2.5bb.

Eight-deuce suited is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

8♠3♠ is too weak to defend out of position against the button’s raise, despite the favorable pot odds.

5-4 offsuit is too weak to profitably open from the button against two live blinds.

The price is favorable: calling 50 makes a 200-chip pot, and 4-3 offsuit has enough raw equity against a random big-blind hand to complete from the small blind.

K2o in the big blind against a small blind limp is a marginal hand, and I would be out of position... actually I'm in position postflop, but a free flop is fine. Checking keeps the pot small and realizes equity cheaply; raising K2o offers little.

My 4-high has no meaningful draw or showdown value on this board, so I take the free option and avoid building the pot.

Bottom pair with a king overcard in a limped pot. A small bet gets value from worse hands and denies equity, since SB's check shows weakness.

With 4♥3♦ on J♠2♥T♦, I have no pair or meaningful draw, so calling the 100-chip bet is not justified.

K7 offsuit is strong enough to open from the button in a three-handed game. A small raise pressures the blinds while keeping weaker hands in the pot.

96o from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still behind, is too weak to call out of position or to 3-bet, so fold.

A3 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a button raise at this price, but is too weak to build a large pot out of position.

Top and bottom pair is strong on this draw-heavy flop. I’m betting for value from aces and draws while charging hands that can improve.

K-high has no pair or meaningful draw on this ace-high flop, and calling the bet would rely on an unlikely bluff catching opportunity.

A8o on the button in 3-handed play is a clear open-raise; 2.5bb puts pressure on both blinds.

K3 suited is too weak to continue from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

K7 offsuit is a marginal but reasonable big-blind defend heads-up against a button raise, and the 150-chip call gets a favorable price.

I have trips on a dry paired flop, and checking lets the preflop raiser continue with weaker hands or make a bet I can respond to.

On a dry paired board, A-high with a backdoor straight draw works well as a small continuation bet in position against the big blind's check. The flop pot is 550 and I'm betting 180, about a third of the pot.

I have trip sevens with a strong kicker and should build the pot for value while charging hands with overcards or draws. A raise to 600 is substantial without overcommitting on a paired board.

The small check-raise gives about 24% pot odds, and A8 has overcard outs, some showdown value against draws, and position. Calling beats folding here, and I can reassess on the turn.

The ace is a volatile turn that improves some of the opponent’s flop-calling range, and the flop raise-call may include a full-house draw or made hand. Check keeps the pot controlled with trips while allowing a bluff or weaker value bet to continue.

We turned top pair, and the check-raiser checking again suggests they may be weak, so a small bet gets value from Tx and draws and denies free equity. If they raise, we can fold.

My trips with a king kicker are strong against the turn bet, and raising the minimum targets value from weaker Ax hands while charging draws. I can still fold to a substantial re-raise if the action indicates a full house.

Top pair with a weak kicker faces a turn check-raise, but calling 650 into 4350 needs only about 15% equity. Villain's range can include flush-draw semi-bluffs and weaker aces, so a call is justified and I'll reassess on the river.

My trip sevens are strong enough for a river value bet, and a modest sizing can get calls from one-pair aces while limiting losses against a full house.

The price is good: 1300 to win 5650, so I need about 23% equity. Missed draws and chopping Ax hands (any ace with a kicker below ten plays the board's ten) give a call enough value against this small river lead, while raising only gets called by hands that beat me.