Hold'em table

K5o on the button in a 3-handed game is a standard open; raising to 2.5bb puts pressure on both blinds.

7-3 offsuit is too weak to defend the small blind against a 2.5 big blind open, especially with the big blind still to act.

KTs suited is a strong heads-up big blind defense against a button open and benefits from building initiative. I use a substantial value-oriented 3-bet sizing out of position.

K5o is too weak to continue against a big blind 3-bet to 8.5bb. Calling out of position-relative ranges with a dominated hand is unprofitable, so folding.

5-2 offsuit is too weak to open from the button at 100 big blinds.

Q4 suited is strong enough to pressure the big blind heads-up and has decent playability if called. A small raise builds initiative while risking little.

Blind vs blind, I'm in position and getting 3.3:1, so T2o has enough equity against a wide SB opening range to defend.

A small continuation bet leverages our preflop initiative and can fold out unpaired overcards while risking little with Q-high and backdoor hearts.

T2 offtrack with only a gutshot to a 9 (needs 9 for J-T-9-8? no, T-9-8-7 needs 9) — weak gutshot with 4 outs, facing a bet with a poor hand; folding is cheapest.

7-5 offsuit is a weak button opening hand in this format; folding avoids entering pots with poor equity.

In a blind-vs-blind spot, 93s is a reasonable open-raise from the small blind at 3x, and it keeps us out of calling out of position. Raising plays better than a limp, and the hand is too strong to fold.

T2 suited is a marginal but defensible call against a small-blind open. I have position postflop and am getting 2-to-1 pot odds.

Middle pair with a weak kicker on a wet K-high board, out of position against the BB caller. Checking controls the pot and keeps some showdown value.

The check gives me an opportunity to bet with a flush draw. A half-pot bet can win immediately against missed hands while building a pot when my draw hits.

Middle pair facing a half-pot bet needs only 25% equity. We are ahead of plenty of draws and air in BB's wide range, so a call is better than folding or raising.

Middle pair on a draw-heavy turn after check-calling the flop; checking controls the pot and keeps villain's bluffs in.

I have a flush draw and a straight draw. Betting 800 can win the pot now while leaving strong chances to improve if called.

Weak middle pair with a 3 kicker on a coordinated board, facing a second barrel. It is likely behind Kx and better 9s, and it plays poorly against a probable river bet, so a fold is better than a marginal call.

Pocket aces on the button: a standard 2.5x open builds the pot while keeping the blinds' weaker hands in.

Eight-four suited is too weak to call a button raise from the small blind with the big blind still to act.

T7 offsuit has sufficient equity and playability to defend the big blind against a small button open at a favorable price.

I have an open-ended straight draw on a coordinated board and can apply pressure after the preflop raiser checks. A modest continuation-sized bet gives me fold equity while retaining a reasonable price if called.

Aces on a wet K-Q-8 two-diamond board facing a donk lead; raising for value and protection against draws while ahead of most of the big blind's range.

I have a strong combo draw with a diamond flush draw and gutshot straight draw, giving sufficient equity and implied odds to continue versus the flop raise.

I have a made ten-high flush on the turn and should value-bet against one-pair hands, sets, and weaker diamond holdings. A substantial sizing also charges draws and avoids giving a free river.

Aces with the nut flush draw are strong, but a turn lead on a three-diamond board is often a flush, set, or two pair. Calling keeps the pot controlled and still leaves strong equity if we're behind, while a jam mostly folds out worse hands.

We have a diamond flush but it is not strong enough to value bet confidently after the opponent's substantial flop and turn line; checking realizes our showdown value.

Our aces-up is only a bluff-catcher on a paired, three-diamond board. The villain's range after leading the flop and turn is heavy with flushes, trips and full houses, so a value bet would mostly get called by better hands. Checking behind takes a showdown cheaply.

With 5-4 offsuit on the button, I’d rather fold than invest 100 chips in a weak hand against both blinds.

T7 suited is a strong heads-up small-blind holding with good playability. Raising applies pressure and builds a pot while retaining positional disadvantage only postflop.

42o is at the very bottom of the big blind's defending range against a small-blind open, with poor playability out of position. Folding gives up little expected value.

A7 offsuit is a strong button opening hand three-handed. Raising to 2.5bb applies pressure and captures positional value.

JJ is well ahead of a button opening range; 3-betting from the small blind builds the pot, denies the big blind a cheap overcall, and avoids playing out of position in a multiway pot.

6-5 offsuit is too weak to continue against a large three-bet, especially with the original raiser still to act.

A7 offsuit is vulnerable to domination against a substantial small-blind 3-bet, and calling would create a difficult inflated pot even with position.