Hold'em table

Ace-jack offsuit is a strong opening hand on the button in three-handed play. Raising to 2.5 big blinds builds value while leveraging position and applying pressure to the blinds.

Nine-eight suited has good playability against a button opening range, and calling 200 keeps the pot manageable from the small blind.

Getting 4:1 in the big blind with K9o against a button open and SB flat is a clear defend; squeezing isn't needed with a hand that plays fine multiway.

Top pair with an open-ended straight draw is strong on this wet flop. Betting builds value from weaker pairs and draws while denying free cards.

Top pair with a king kicker on a wet, coordinated board is strong enough to continue against the small blind's lead. Calling keeps the pot controlled with the button still to act behind me.

Ace-high with no direct draw is too weak against a substantial flop bet and a call on this coordinated board. My overcard outs may be compromised, and continuing would realize too little equity.

I have a nine-high straight on a draw-heavy board. Betting for value also charges diamond draws and other hands that can improve on the river.

Top pair with a good kicker on a wet board is getting about 29% pot odds. The SB's lead-then-barrel range includes enough draws and weaker made hands to justify a call, but raising would only get action from hands that beat us.

I have a nine-high straight. A moderate river bet can get value from lower straights and other strong hands while limiting my exposure to T8.

Top pair with a king kicker is a bluff-catcher on a very coordinated board, but the price is good: I call 2200 to win 6350, so I need about 26% equity. Missed diamond draws are part of the bettor's range, which keeps a call viable against their barrels.

4-3 offsuit is too weak to open profitably from the button against two players.

A6o is a clear opening hand in a blind-vs-blind spot, so I'm raising to 3bb to take the initiative.

Pocket aces warrant a value three-bet against the small blind's opening range. Raising to 1000 builds the pot while leaving room for weaker hands to call or four-bet.

A6o is out of position against a 10bb big-blind 3-bet. Calling needs about 35% equity, and my realized equity out of position is likely below that, so folding is the disciplined play.

92 suited is too weak to open profitably from the button in 3-handed play with 100bb stacks, so folding is the standard play.

Pocket jacks are a strong value raise in a blind-versus-blind pot. Raising to 3.5 big blinds builds the pot against weaker hands and charges the big blind to continue while we are out of position.

A4 suited is strong enough to defend against a small-blind raise, and calling keeps weaker hands in while giving us position postflop.

JJ has solid showdown value but gains little from betting into a range containing kings. Checking controls the pot and keeps weaker hands and bluffs in the opponent’s range.

I have the nut flush draw and position. A half-pot bet can win the pot now while building value when I hit.

JJ is strong enough to continue against a half-pot bet in this heads-up blind-versus-blind pot, where the opponent can have heart draws and weaker pairs. Calling preserves those weaker hands and avoids inflating the pot against kings or better.

JJ has showdown value, but betting into the opponent's flop betting range risks getting called mainly by stronger hands. Checking keeps the pot controlled and lets the opponent continue bluffing missed draws.

I have the nut flush draw and position, so I can take the free river card without building a larger pot against a range that called the flop.

The river gives me jacks full of fives, beating all flushes and most other full houses. A substantial value bet targets completed heart draws and strong bluff-catchers after the turn checked through.

I have the ace-high flush, which is strong enough to raise for value. A smaller flush or a five may call, while the paired board makes a larger raise less appealing.

My rivered full house beats all flushes and smaller full houses; only KK and 55 beat it. Shoving maximizes value against the strong hands represented by the river raise.

I have the nut flush. Although the paired board allows full houses, the pot odds justify calling against possible weaker flushes and overplayed hands.

7-5 offsuit is too weak for a profitable default button open against two unknown blinds at 100bb depth. Folding avoids investing in a hand with poor high-card strength and limited playability.

J7 suited is strong enough to raise against the big blind, with a chance to win the pot preflop and reasonable playability when called.

Getting 3:1 (200 to win 600 total) in position against a small blind open, 65o has enough playability and equity to defend.

I have a flush draw and can apply pressure with a small continuation bet while keeping the pot manageable.

Middle pair with a backdoor straight draw, facing a small bet (200 into 600) with 5:1 pot odds. That makes calling clearly profitable, while raising would mostly fold out worse hands.

The turn leaves my flush draw live, and a 700-chip bet can also fold out weaker hands that called the small flop bet.

Middle pair plus a gutshot and outs to two pair or trips, with some showdown value against the draws in the bettor's range, is enough to call at 2.4:1 pot odds.

My heart draw missed and jack-high has little showdown value. A river bet can fold out missed draws with better high cards and some weak pairs.

Trip sixes with a weak kicker is strong against a small river bet, since many Kx and missed draws bet this size. Raising mostly gets called by better 6x, straights or full houses, so calling is better.

J8 offsuit is a reasonable button open three-handed, and a 2.5-big-blind raise uses position to pressure the blinds.

62o from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still left to act, is a clear fold.

A4 suited is a strong three-bet bluff against a button open: the ace blocks premium hands, while suitedness and wheel potential provide equity when called. The larger sizing applies pressure while out of position.

J8 offsuit is too weak to continue against a large preflop reraise.

K9o on the button in 3-handed play is a clear opening hand. A standard 2.5bb raise lets me attack the blinds.

8-3 offsuit is too weak to defend against a button raise from the small blind, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids investing more chips with poor equity and position.

T9 offsuit has enough equity and playability to defend the big blind against a button min-ish raise, especially with 150 chips to call into a 400-chip pot.

I have an open-ended straight draw but no made hand. Checking to the preflop raiser keeps the pot manageable and lets me assess their bet.

On a dry J-8-2 board I have the range advantage as the button raiser, and K9 has a gutshot plus overcard equity. A small c-bet of about a third of the pot takes down the pot often and keeps my draw alive.

I have an open-ended straight draw, and the small flop bet gives me a good price to continue.

I have an open-ended straight draw but no made hand. Checking lets me see whether the preflop aggressor bets before committing more chips.

K-high with no draw against a big blind who called the flop. A bet is unlikely to fold out his pairs, so I'll check back, take the free card, and keep some showdown value.

Nine-high has little showdown value after the straight draw missed. A river bet can represent an eight or a jack and may fold out stronger unpaired hands.

King-high only beats a narrow set of missed draws. The villain checked the turn and then led the river into a paired board, which reads as mostly made hands. Calling at 29% pot odds is unprofitable.