Hold'em table

K5o is a reasonable 3-handed button open; raising applies pressure on the blinds and takes initiative with position.

A-J offsuit is a playable hand facing only a small button raise, so calling 200 to see a flop in a three-way pot is better than folding or bloating the pot out of position.

Calling 150 closes the action in a 600-chip pot. The price is reasonable for seeing a flop, though I’ll be cautious with a weak offsuit hand.

I have ace-high with an open-ended straight draw (Q or 8 completes), but two opponents are in and checking keeps the pot small while I take a free card.

With no pair or immediate straight or flush draw in a three-way pot, I’ll check and take the free card.

With K-high no pair on a coordinated flop and two callers, checking controls the pot and takes a free turn rather than bluffing into two opponents.

I hold A-high with no pair on a four-card board, and both opponents checked the flop, so checking is the cheapest way to see the next card.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker is unlikely to get value from worse hands in a three-way pot. Checking keeps the pot manageable.

I have bottom pair with a king kicker, and both opponents checked to me on the turn. Betting about two-thirds pot can take it down or charge draws while I have position.

Calling 500 into a 1250 pot needs about 29% equity, and my J-T-9 open-ended draw has roughly 8 outs with one card to come, so folding is the better play.

Bottom pair has few clean ways to improve, and calling the turn bet out of position is unlikely to be profitable.

Ten-deuce offsuit is a weak holding, and calling 100 to see a flop out of position isn't worth it in a 3-handed 100bb game.

K8 suited is strong enough to raise against the big blind after the button folds. Raising gives me a chance to win the pot now and builds value when called.

6-8 offsuit is too weak to defend against a 3x small-blind raise out of position, so folding avoids playing a marginal hand.

4-2 offsuit is too weak to open profitably against two players without a read that the blinds fold often.

AcKc is a premium hand; raising for value and initiative with only the big blind left to act.

K3 offsuit is weak, but I already have 100 in the pot and only need 200 more to see a flop against a single raiser, so the price justifies a call.

With AK overcards and a dry-ish flop, a half-pot continuation bet can take it down or set up a turn barrel. Checking would let the big blind realize equity cheaply.

Heads-up against a wide continuation-bet range, I need about 25% equity to call 300 into 900, and king-high with overcards is a reasonable bluff-catcher for that price.

I have AK with a gutshot and overcards on a coordinated board. Checking controls the pot and lets me see a river card without committing more chips against a passive caller.

I have only King-high on a board with no pair, so I'll take the free card rather than bloat the pot out of position.

Ace-high has showdown value against missed draws, and betting risks chips into a range that can contain pairs that will call. Checking controls the pot and wins against missed draws.

I hold King-high with no pair on a paired-looking board, and seat_1 has checked the river, so a bluff would be poor value. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me see a showdown for free.

With pocket eights on the button in a 3-handed game, raising is best to take initiative and charge the blinds. A 3x raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

2-9 offsuit is weak out of position against a button raise to 300 with a 3-way field, so folding the small blind saves chips.

J8 offsuit has enough equity against a typical button opening range to defend the big blind at this price, especially with the small blind's dead money in the pot.

With jack-high and a gutshot on this flop, I prefer to check out of position and see how the preflop raiser acts.

I have an overpair to the lower board cards and position; betting for value and protection against overcards and draws is best after the big blind checks.

J8 offsuit has only a gutshot and uncertain pair outs on this flop. Calling the 400-chip bet out of position is unlikely to be profitable.

K6 offsuit on the button is a playable but marginal hand, so calling the 100-chip big blind keeps the pot cheap and realizes position without bloating the pot out of position.

Completing costs 50 into a 250-chip pot. J4 offsuit is weak, but the price is good enough to see a flop without building a larger pot.

With 5d9d, a speculative hand, I prefer to check and see a cheap flop rather than raise into two callers.

I missed this flop and have little equity against two opponents. Checking avoids putting more chips in with a weak hand.

With 5d9d on Qd6h3c, I have only backdoor draws and no showdown value; checking keeps the pot small and lets me see a free turn.

I have a pair of sixes with a King kicker and no bet to call, so checking keeps the pot small and lets me see the next card for free.

With only a gutshot and no diamond, betting into two opponents is unlikely to be profitable. I’ll check and preserve chips.

Semi-bluffing with a flush draw and multiple straight outs; a bet can take the pot now and set up a big river if called.

Holding a pair of sixes with the King kicker, I have decent showdown value and the 200 call is about 28.6% of the final pot, which is a reasonable price against a turn bet that could be a bluff or a queen.

Jack-high with no meaningful draw has little chance of winning against a turn bet and a call.

No showdown value with 9-high; bluffing on paired board to fold out Qx or missed draws.

I have two pair, sevens and sixes with a king kicker, which beats many bluffs and some Q-high or middling holdings, so calling 500 is reasonable against a river bet from an aggressive opponent.

Q4 offsuit is playable on the button in a three-handed game. A minimum raise applies pressure to the blinds while limiting the risk with a marginal hand.

76o is too weak to continue against a button raise from the small blind, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding preserves chips for better spots.

Calling the 100-chip gap with 7-6 suited in the big blind gives a cheap, playable flop against a single button raiser, and it keeps my range wide enough to realize equity.

I have 7-6 with only a backdoor-ish gutshot to a straight on a Th-8h-Kd flop, and checking is free as big blind, so I take the free card rather than bloat the pot.

Q4 has little immediate equity on this coordinated flop. Checking in position avoids building a pot with a weak hand.

I have 7-6 with no pair and no draw strong enough to bet, and checking is free, so I take the free card and keep the pot small.

After two checks from the big blind, a turn bet can win the pot immediately. If called, I still have a heart draw.

I hold a flush draw with 4 hearts plus a straight draw needing a 9, about 12 outs with one card to come (roughly 26%). Calling 300 into a 1050 pot needs about 29%, so this is close, but implied odds on a made hand make the call reasonable.

I have only King-high with no pair and no made straight on the river, so checking is the cheapest way to see whether the button bets.

Queen-high has little showdown value. The river misses many draws, so I’m betting to try to fold out weak pairs and missed draws.

I have seven-high with no pair, straight, or flush draw on a river board, so calling 800 into an 1850 pot needs far more equity than I have. Folding is the correct play against a button bet that shows strength over three streets.