Hold'em table

Three-handed on the button, Q6o sits within a standard wide opening range, so a 2.5bb open to steal the blinds is reasonable. It also keeps position for postflop play.

J♠8♥ is a weak offsuit hand facing a sizable button raise, with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids calling out of position with poor prospects.

8-5 offsuit is too weak to defend out of position against a 2.5 big blind raise.

7-3 offsuit is too weak to open profitably from the button, especially with both blinds still to act.

With the button folded, 8-6 offsuit has enough playability to complete the small blind for 50 chips, but not enough strength to build a larger pot out of position.

A4o is well ahead of a small blind limping range and plays better in position with initiative, so I raise for value and isolation.

8-6 offsuit is too weak to continue against a raise to 400, especially out of position.

A8 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button in a three-handed game. Raising to 2.5 big blinds pressures the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

42s from the small blind against a button open with the big blind still behind is a clear fold; calling out of position is unprofitable.

J4 offsuit is weak, but the small call price and wide button opening range make defending the big blind preferable to folding.

With J♠4♦ on A♦Q♦9♥, I have only a backdoor flush possibility and no strong made hand. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids bluffing into a board that likely favors the preflop raiser.

Top pair is likely ahead of the big blind’s calling range. A moderate bet gets value from queens and draws while charging them to continue.

I have no pair or meaningful draw on this flop, and calling the sizable raise would be unprofitable. Fold.

J9 suited on the button in 3-handed play is a clear open-raise. A 2.5bb size pressures both blinds.

4-3 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

A7 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a button open at this price. Calling keeps the pot manageable out of position.

Ace-high has limited immediate value on this flop, and checking avoids building a pot out of position against the preflop raiser.

Top pair with a jack kicker and a backdoor flush draw on a 9-8-3 board, and the big blind checked to us in position. A roughly 2/3-pot bet (350 into 550) gets value and protection from worse pairs and draws.

Ace-high with only backdoor draws is too weak to continue out of position against this flop bet.

J9 offsuit is a playable button open three-handed. Raise to 2.5 big blinds to apply pressure and take initiative.

The suited one-gapper has enough playability to defend against a button open at this price, especially with no rake. Calling keeps the pot manageable out of position.

AKs is a premium hand. Squeezing from the big blind against the button open and the small-blind flat builds the pot, uses my fold equity, and avoids playing a multiway pot out of position.

J9 offsuit is too weak to continue against a large three-bet, especially with another player still involved. Fold and preserve the remaining stack.

Nine-seven suited is too weak to continue against this large preflop reraise, especially out of position.

J2 suited is a playable button open in a three-handed, rake-free game. A small raise gives me a chance to win the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

32o is too weak to continue from the small blind against a button open, and the big blind is still left to act behind me. Folding and giving up the 50-chip blind is the lowest-loss option.

The button’s small raise gives a favorable price, and Q-high has enough equity against a typical button opening range to defend the big blind.

With only a gutshot and a backdoor flush draw on a board that favors the preflop raiser, checking is the prudent option.

I have a gutshot and backdoor diamond draw, but this coordinated flop connects well with the big blind’s calling range. Checking in position preserves my chance to improve without building the pot.

With only queen-high and a gutshot to a jack, I have little value to extract or reason to bluff after the flop checked through. I’ll check and preserve the chance to realize equity.

With a flush draw and a gutshot straight draw, I can bet after the big blind checks twice and still have strong chances to improve if called.

I have only a gutshot straight draw with four likely outs and no meaningful showdown value. The 350-chip bet requires too much equity to continue.