Hold'em table

8-4 offsuit is too weak to profitably enter from the button against two blinds.

Pocket fives are well ahead of a random big blind hand in a blind-vs-blind spot, so raising to 3bb takes the initiative and builds a pot with an above-average hand.

Getting 2-to-1 pot odds with a marginal king-high hand in the big blind is worth a call to see the flop.

Out of position with 55 on T82 two-tone, a board that hits the big blind's calling range hard, checking to control the pot and realize equity is best. A small c-bet is an option, but checking keeps it simple and I can re-evaluate against a bet.

I have a flush draw and an overcard, so I'll semi-bluff to take the pot now or build value if called.

Getting 4:1 against a half-pot bet from a wide BB defending range, 55 has enough showdown value against draws and bluffs to call. Raising would turn the hand into a bluff.

The 9c turn completes straights (J-Q, 7-J, 6-7) and puts three clubs on the board, so my 55 underpair is weak and has almost no fold equity against a BB who bet the flop. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me reassess against any bet.

Pocket fives on a four-club, straight-heavy board has almost no value, and a bluff is unlikely to fold out the many clubs and straights in the caller's range. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me win at showdown if they're on air.

97o on the button in 3-handed play is a standard open; a small raise to 2.5bb puts pressure on the blinds.

Calling 200 more gives good pot odds with A-high and a chance to hit the flop. Folding is possible, but against a button open this hand has enough equity to continue.

9-3 suited is too weak to defend against a raise and cold call from the big blind.

I have top pair but a weak kicker, so I'll check to see how the opponent reacts on the flop.

Middle pair on an ace-high board, in position against a checked-to range. A small c-bet of about a third of the pot (200 into 600) gets value and protection, and our range has the ace advantage here.

I have top pair with a weak kicker, and I'm getting good pot odds to continue. Raising would likely only get called by better hands, so I'll just call and keep the pot manageable.

I have top two pair and the turn checked to me, so I bet for value and to charge any draws.

Middle pair with a weak kicker is behind the SB's check-call then turn lead, which is weighted toward an ace or better. The call needs about 29% equity, and I have roughly 5 outs against an ace.

64o is too weak to continue against two opponents preflop, especially with action still open behind. Folding avoids investing chips with poor equity and no made hand.

A5 offsuit is a strong heads-up small-blind opening hand after the button folds, with an ace blocker and decent playability. I raise for value and initiative.

In the BB vs an SB 3x open, J8s is getting 2:1 and has position, so this is a clear defend; calling keeps it simple.

A small continuation bet on this paired board can fold out unpaired overcards while retaining equity with the ace and diamond.

Trips with a decent kicker on a paired board is far ahead of the SB's c-bet range. Calling keeps his bluffs and overcards in the pot and lets him keep betting on later streets.

Our ace-high has limited value against a flop call on a paired board, and the turn ten improves much of the opponent's continuing range. Checking preserves showdown value and avoids overbluffing.

We hold trip eights with a jack kicker on 8-8-3-T, and villain checked the turn after c-betting, so we should bet for value and to protect against diamond and straight draws. About 2/3 pot gets value from overpairs, tens and draws.

With only an ace-high diamond draw on a paired board, the turn bet offers insufficient odds and our non-diamond outs are unreliable. Folding preserves the stack.

A button raise with A-J offsuit is a strong value and isolation play three-handed, applying pressure to the blinds while retaining initiative.

54o from the small blind facing a 3x button open, with the big blind still to act, is a clear fold; calling out of position with a weak offsuit hand is unprofitable.

QTs is strong enough to continue against a button open, and calling keeps the pot small while I act out of position. I can see the flop and reevaluate.

Top two pair is strong on this flop, so I bet for value and to charge straight draws.

I have an ace-high gutshot with position and some implied odds against a modest flop lead. Calling preserves flexibility for favorable turns.

I have top two pair on a coordinated board; betting around 2/3 pot to extract value from one-pair hands and charge straight/flush draws.

I have the nut straight on this turn and should raise for value against two pair, sets, and strong draws. The sizing builds the pot while retaining calls from worse made hands.

Three-handed on the button, T6o sits near the bottom of a wide opening range, so a small open to 2.5bb applies pressure on the blinds.

Pocket nines are strong against a button open in a 3-handed game, so I raise to isolate and take initiative while still being able to fold to a big 4-bet.

A8 offsuit is dominated too often against a small-blind 3-bet range, and calling out of position creates difficult reverse-implied-odds spots.

T6o is too weak to continue against a small-blind 3-bet to 8bb. Calling 550 into 1150 in position with a dominated, low-equity hand isn't profitable enough.

Q9s is strong enough to raise from the button, and I can take down the blinds or play in position.

T7 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button 3x open with the big blind still behind.

KTo in the big blind against a 3x button open in 3-handed play is well ahead of the button's wide range. Calling 200 into 450 gives good odds, and flatting keeps his weaker hands in the pot.

Top pair with a weak kicker out of position against the button's raise: checking controls the pot, lets his bluffs keep betting, and I can check-call a reasonable bet.

Top pair with an open-ended straight draw on K-J-8-7 (any 9 or Q gives a straight), and the button checked back the flop (a fallback check). Betting about 70% of the pot gets value from Jx, 8x, weaker kings and draws, and it builds the pot for when I improve.