Hold'em table

On the button 3-handed, 54s is a standard open; a raise to 2.5bb puts pressure on the blinds and keeps a playable hand.

K2o is a weak offsuit hand facing a raise from the button, and calling out of position with poor equity is not profitable. I'll let this go and wait for a better spot.

J8 suited has adequate playability and pot odds to defend the big blind against a button min-open-plus sizing heads-up.

Check back with modest showdown value and limited draws on this paired board, keeping the pot controlled.

A paired, dry board strongly favors the preflop raiser's range, so a small c-bet with a hand that has backdoor straight and flush equity is profitable. It also denies the big blind's overcards their free equity.

The small continuation bet offers favorable pot odds, and J8 has two overcards plus a backdoor diamond draw. I can continue once against the button's likely wide c-bet range.

Opponent's turn check after a small flop c-bet leaves room to pressure many unpaired overcards and marginal hands. A two-thirds-pot bluff credibly represents a nine or a strong overpair.

A pair of fives with 5 outs to improve, plus it beats bluffs and weak holdings, and I only need about 28% equity against a donk-lead range from a wide BB defence. Calling keeps bluffs in rather than raising a marginal hand.

Our J-high has little showdown value, but the turn caller's range is sufficiently strong that a river bluff is unlikely to succeed often enough. Checking preserves the chance to win against missed overcards.

My missed straight draw left me with a weak pair of fives on a paired board. That has some showdown value against busted draws, but a bet would mostly get called by better hands, so I'm checking it down.

Ac9c is a strong suited ace and we have position, so raising is standard to pressure the blinds and take the initiative. A raise to 300 puts pressure while still being manageable if challenged.

T2 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a 3x open, especially out of position with the big blind still behind.

J9o in the big blind facing a button 3x open is getting 2.25:1 odds (200 to win 450) and is well within a standard defending range. Calling is better than folding, and the hand is too weak to 3-bet for value.

Middle pair with a gutshot out of position against the button's range on a board that favors the raiser; checking controls the pot and lets me realize equity, and I can call a reasonable c-bet.

I have only Ace-high with a backdoor flush draw, so I take the free card and see the turn rather than building a pot with no made hand.

The button checked back the flop, so its range is weakened. Our second pair (jacks) is likely ahead, so a half-pot bet gets value from worse jacks and 7x hands and denies equity to overcards and draws.

I have a flush draw and an overcard, and the pot is offering good odds to call and see the river.

Jacks with a nine kicker is likely best against a range that checked back the flop and called the turn. A small bet gets value from worse jacks and pocket pairs like 88-TT, while keeping the cost low if they hold a queen.

J9 offsuit is a playable button opening hand three-handed, and raising applies pressure to the blinds while retaining positional advantage.

Q5o from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still left to act, is a clear fold; it plays poorly out of position.

K8o on the button in 3-handed play is a standard open; a 2.5x raise lets me steal the blinds with a reasonable hand.

2d4d is a very weak hand out of position against a raise, and calling 200 more with poor equity and the big blind still to act is not profitable.

Pocket threes have sufficient equity to defend the big blind against a button min-sized-to-small open, especially heads-up. Calling keeps weaker hands and bluffs in while preserving postflop flexibility.

Checking preserves pot control with a small underpair on a board that strongly favors the preflop raiser, while allowing us to react to their continuation bet.

On the button in a single-raised pot, a small c-bet with K-high and a gutshot to a straight (a J completes K-Q-J-10-9, and a 10 gives an open-ender) leverages range advantage on a Q-high board. The hand also has a backdoor flush draw.

Calling keeps the opponent's c-betting range and potential turn barrels in while concealing the set on this dry board.

Check with a marginal pair on an overcard-heavy board. Keeping the pot controlled is preferable to leading into the preflop raiser.

Top pair of kings on a draw-heavy turn; a medium bet gets value from queens, nines and draws while charging the heart and straight draws.

Pocket threes have little showdown value on this overcard-heavy board and only two clear outs. The turn bet offers insufficient pot odds to continue.

Kh7h is suited and playable from the button; raising to 200 puts pressure on the blinds and can take the pot immediately.

A8 suited is a strong enough blind-versus-button hand to 3-bet, and raising prevents the big blind from realizing a very cheap equity share.

QJo facing a button open plus a small-blind 3-bet to 7bb, with the opener still behind, plays poorly out of position and risks being squeezed or dominated. Folding is the disciplined choice.

Calling 500 with K7s in position is reasonable given the pot odds and the chance to outplay on later streets; folding would be too tight against a 3-bet in a 3-handed game.

This coordinated queen-high flop connects well with the caller's range, while ace-high has limited immediate value. Checking preserves pot control and allows us to react to a bet.

Opponent checked after 3-betting preflop, but this flop is all clubs and my hand has no pair or club draw. Taking the free card is the best way to see the turn without bloating the pot.

With only ace-high and a gutshot, checking preserves equity and avoids bluffing into a strong preflop calling range on this coordinated board.

I have a jack-high straight but the passive line makes worse hands unlikely to call a value bet, while kings and clubs can beat me. Checking realizes showdown value.

I have the nut straight on the river (9-T-J-Q-K) and both opponents checked, so I should bet for value to extract chips from hands like top pair or two pair.

We hold a queen-high straight using the 8, strong enough to call this river value bet. Raising would mainly be called by higher straights or flushes.

A7 offsuit is a strong button opening hand three-handed and benefits from taking initiative and applying pressure to the blinds.

In 3-handed play the button's opening range is wide, so 44 in the small blind plays well as a 3-bet rather than a flat call out of position with the big blind still to act. A 3-bet to 1000 gives fold equity and denies the big blind a cheap squeeze or call.

Facing a raise and a 3-bet out of position, A6s is dominated by better aces and not worth calling 9 more big blinds. I fold and preserve chips.

A7 offsuit is vulnerable to domination against a large small-blind 3-bet, and calling would realize poorly even in position. Folding preserves the stack versus a likely strong range.