Hold'em table

Pocket queens are a premium opening hand on the button. Raising to 3bb builds value while applying pressure to the blinds.

Q5o is a weak unsuited hand out of position facing a button open raise; an easy fold.

A3 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a button raise, especially with no rake and 200 chips to call.

With bottom pair and an ace kicker on a dry flop, checking out of position keeps the pot manageable and lets the preflop raiser act.

Betting the dry flop with an overpair for value while keeping weaker jacks and pocket pairs in.

Bottom pair with an ace kicker is strong enough to continue against a small button continuation bet, but not strong enough to raise for value.

My pair of threes has some showdown value, but a bet is unlikely to get called by many worse hands. I’ll check and keep the pot manageable.

With queens over the paired jack board, I have a strong overpair and should value bet against pocket pairs, draws, and weaker bluff-catchers after the turn check.

My pair of threes is ahead of many unpaired hands in a button opener's range, and the 700-chip bet gives me sufficient pot odds to continue against possible bluffs. I'll reassess on the river.

My pair of threes has some showdown value, but a river bet is unlikely to be called by worse hands. Checking avoids building the pot with a weak hand.

The river king makes a thin value bet with queens unattractive after the opponent called both flop and turn. Checking realizes showdown value while avoiding a likely call from stronger kings or jacks.

Holding pocket queens on the button, open-raising to 2.5bb for value.

Q8 offsuit is too weak to call a button raise from the small blind with the big blind still to act.

Pocket threes have sufficient equity to defend the big blind against a button min-raise, especially heads-up. Calling keeps the pot manageable and realizes set value.

Pocket threes retain some showdown value on this paired king board, but are not strong enough to build a pot out of position. Checking keeps the pot controlled.

C-betting roughly one-third pot on a dry, paired king-high board where we retain significant range advantage and hold a strong two pair.

The small continuation bet offers favorable pot odds, and pocket threes remain ahead of much of a button opening range that missed this paired board. Calling preserves position against bluffs without inflating the pot.

Our pocket threes have modest showdown value on this paired board, but are unlikely to gain value from worse hands. Checking controls the pot and allows us to respond to the river.

I hold a strong showdown value hand with queens on a paired king board. Checking back the turn controls the pot and protects my range against slowplayed kings while inducing bluffs or light calls on the river.

Pocket threes retain showdown value against the opponent's unpaired overcards after their turn check. A river bluff would mainly fold hands we already beat while being called by kings, diamonds, and stronger pairs.

I have two pair, Kings and Queens, on a board with three diamonds. Checking behind preserves showdown value without risking a check-raise from trips or flushes.

K4 offsuit is playable as a button open in a three-handed game. A modest raise applies pressure to both blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

8-6 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button open with the big blind still behind.

T9o has sufficient equity and pot odds (getting 2.7 to 1) to defend against a standard button open in 3-handed play.

Checking out of position with bottom pair and a gutshot straight draw to see how the preflop aggressor acts.

Top pair can get value from weaker pairs and draws. A small bet also gives those draws a worse price without building a large pot with a weak kicker.

I have bottom pair and an open/gutshot straight draw to the nuts with decent pot odds against a small c-bet.

I have two pair, but the board has a four-card straight (9-T-J-K) where any Queen makes a straight. Checking to control pot size and see how the button responds.

Top pair with a weak kicker has showdown value, but the connected board gives the caller many stronger hands. Checking keeps the pot manageable.

We hold two pair (Tens and Nines) on a very coordinated board with multiple straights and higher two pairs possible. Checking is optimal as worse hands won't call a bet.

My pair of kings has showdown value, and betting risks getting called by an ace or a queen while folding out hands I already beat.

On the button, Q4 suited is playable as a small steal raise against the blinds. The sizing risks little while applying pressure to blind ranges.

Folding 87 offsuit in the small blind against a button open, as it lacks playable equity out of position.

J2 offsuit is too weak to defend out of position against a 2.5 big-blind raise.

52s is too weak to open profitably even on the button in 3-handed play.

K4 offsuit is playable heads-up against the big blind. A modest raise can win the pot immediately while keeping the risk manageable.

6d3d is too weak to defend against the small blind's raise, especially out of position postflop.

Four-deuce offsuit is too weak to open on the button at 100 big blinds, even with position.

T3 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against the big blind, particularly with shallow positional disadvantage postflop.