Hold'em table

24 offsuit is too weak to open even from the button in three-handed play, so folding the big blind is the highest-EV line.

A9o is well ahead of a random holding in a blind-vs-blind battle; raising to 3bb takes the initiative.

J6 suited is marginal against a 3x raise, but I’m getting a reasonable price heads-up from the big blind and can see a flop without inflating the pot.

Check with Ace-high out of position to control the pot size and realize showdown equity.

With no pair or meaningful draw on a coordinated flop, betting has little value and risks being check-raised. I’ll take the free card.

I have Ace-high with a gutshot to the wheel on a three-flush board. Checking to realize equity and control the pot out of position.

I have little showdown value, but the turn check gives me a chance to take the pot with a modest bluff. I also have a gutshot to a straight if a five comes on the river.

We hold Ace-high without a club on a 3-flush board with straight possibilities. Calling 350 into 950 without sufficient clean equity or implied odds is unprofitable.

Opening with pocket aces on the button to build the pot and extract value.

6♦4♦ has some playability against a likely wide button raise, and the price is reasonable with the blind already invested. I’ll avoid inflating the pot out of position with a re-raise.

Pocket fours have enough equity and implied odds to call a small button raise and a cold call, especially set-mining out of position rather than bloating the pot with a raise.

I have an open-ended straight draw but no made hand, so I’ll take the free card rather than build the pot out of position.

C-betting for value with an overpair on a dry Queen-high flop after both blinds checked.

I have an eight-out straight draw and am getting a reasonable price to continue. Calling keeps the pot manageable with another player still to act.

Pocket fours are an underpair to the queen multiway after a flop bet and a call, so the hand is too weak to continue.

I have an open-ended straight draw but no made hand, so I’ll take the free river card rather than build the pot with a weak draw.

I hold an overpair with the nut flush blocker and gutshot draw; betting 950 extracts value from top pairs and continuing draws.

I have a made six-high straight and can raise for value against strong pairs and draws while charging club draws. A moderate raise keeps worse hands in and avoids overcommitting against a higher straight.

Holding pocket aces with the ace of clubs gives us an overpair, nut flush card blocker, and a gutshot to the wheel, getting favorable pot odds to call the check-raise.

I have a six-high straight, which is strong enough to value-bet against two pair, sets, and lower straights. A moderate bet can get called without risking a full-stack shove into a possible seven-high straight.

Getting over 4 to 1 pot odds with pocket Aces as a primary bluff catcher against potential missed club draws and turn semi-bluffs.

On the button three-handed, A2 offsuit is strong enough to open-raise; a modest size applies pressure while keeping weaker hands in the range.

T3o is too weak to continue from the small blind against a button open, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids putting more chips in with a dominated, disconnected hand.

83o has extremely poor equity and playability postflop, making it an easy fold against a standard button open.

J5 offsuit is too weak to open from the button against two live blinds, so folding avoids a dominated, low-equity spot.

7c 3s is far too weak to complete or raise from the small blind, even getting 3:1 pot odds.

64o is well below the standard opening range even on the button in 3-handed play, making fold the clearly +EV play.

A-T offsuit is strong enough to raise from the small blind against the big blind after the button folds. A raise to 300 applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

KTs is strong enough to defend the big blind heads-up against a small-blind raise, and calling keeps the pot manageable with a hand that plays well postflop.

Top two pair is well ahead of most of the caller’s range, and a 400-chip bet builds value while charging spade draws and other hands with equity.

I have the king-high flush draw plus two overcards, so a flop raise is a strong semi-bluff with fold equity and good equity when called.

The check-raise represents a strong hand or a draw, and A-high without a spade or meaningful backdoor equity is not worth calling the extra 700 chips.

J7 offsuit is a marginal but playable button hand three-handed; raising gives me initiative and a chance to take the blinds while keeping the open modest.

74s is too weak to continue out of position against a button open with the big blind still to act.

Defending Qd8d from the big blind against a standard button open getting attractive pot odds (150 to win 400).

I flopped bottom pair with an inside straight draw on a coordinated, monotone board, making checking to the preflop aggressor the standard play.

Top pair has showdown value, but the monotone board and weak kicker make betting vulnerable to heart draws and check-raises. I’ll take the free card and keep the pot manageable.

I have two pair (Jacks and Eights) with a Queen kicker and a gutshot draw on a wet, paired board. Checking to control the pot and see what the preflop raiser does is standard.

I have trips and can get value from weaker hands while charging heart draws. A modest bet keeps the pot manageable on this coordinated board.

Villain checked back the flop and is now firing a delayed continuation bet on a paired board. We have two pair (Jacks and Eights) with a straight draw to a nine, making this a clear call getting nearly 3:1 pot odds.

I have weak showdown value with two pair, jacks and eights, so checking to see what the opponent does is the standard play.

My trips have a weak kicker, and the ace on the river improves some hands that can call a bet. I’ll take the free showdown rather than risk a value bet into a stronger jack or full house.