Hold'em table

On the button in a three-handed, rake-free game, 7-6 offsuit is playable as a small open with position after the flop.

Three-handed, the button opens very wide, and A7o plays well as a 3-bet from the small blind: the ace blocks strong hands and it avoids calling out of position with the big blind still to act. Raising to 11bb pressures both players.

A8 offsuit is too weak to continue against a large preflop 3-bet with the original raiser still involved. The call price does not compensate for the domination and multiway risks.

76 offsuit is too weak to continue against this large three-bet, even in position.

J4 offsuit is too weak to open profitably from the button against two blinds at 100bb; folding is standard.

J4 offsuit is weak, but completing costs only 50 chips into a 150-chip pot and keeps me in heads-up with favorable pot odds.

With 8-2 offsuit against a small-blind limp, I can see the flop for free rather than build a pot with a weak hand.

I have only a weak pair on a coordinated, two-club flop and can take a free card rather than build the pot out of position.

The small blind checked a low flop in a limped pot. A small positional bet can win the pot when they missed, while limiting the cost if called.

A small pair has enough showdown value against a likely wide flop stab, and the 100-chip call offers reasonable pot odds. Raising would isolate us against stronger hands and draws.

I have two pair and should value-bet while charging draws. A 250-chip bet is substantial relative to the 400-chip pot without overcommitting.

Eight-high has no meaningful river draw, so calling the turn bet is unlikely to be profitable.

On the button in a three-handed game, 8-6 offsuit is playable as a wide open. A small raise uses position and may win the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

9-5 offsuit is too weak to call a button raise from the small blind, especially with the big blind still to act.

Getting 400:150 in the big blind against a wide 3-handed button open, J5o has enough equity and playability to defend by calling.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker on a wet board, out of position against the preflop raiser; checking controls the pot and keeps us on track to reach showdown.

I have two pair on a wet, connected flop, so a sizeable value bet also charges straight and flush draws. The big blind checked, making a 350-chip bet into 550 reasonable.

Bottom pair with a backdoor straight draw, getting about 28% pot odds against a small button c-bet, which will include plenty of air. Calling is better than folding here, and raising would turn a showdown hand into a bluff.

Our bottom pair plus a gutshot to the 7 is weak on this monotone, highly connected board, and the pot is 1250. Checking lets us realize equity cheaply, and we can fold to a large bet or call a small one.

The turn completes a club flush and several straight draws, making a value bet risky with two pair. I’ll take the free showdown card and keep the pot controlled.

A weak pair of fives on a board full of straight and flush possibilities has showdown value but can't bet for value, so I'll check and take a free showdown if the button checks back.

Make a small value bet with two pair, aiming to get calls from weaker 8x or 6x hands while limiting the cost against a flush or straight. The checked river makes a modest sizing preferable to a larger bet.

Getting about 5.6:1 on a small river bet, and a pair of fives beats the missed overcards that often check the turn and then take a cheap stab on the river. That price only needs roughly 18% equity.

KQs is a strong button opening hand in three-handed play. Raising to 250 builds the pot while keeping the sizing efficient.

K2 offsuit from the small blind against a button open to 2.5bb, with the big blind still to act, is a clear fold. It plays poorly out of position.

Q5 offsuit is marginal, but getting 2.7-to-1 and closing the action against a button open makes a defend reasonable.

With a weak pair on a dry flop, checking keeps the pot controlled and lets the preflop raiser act. I can continue based on their response and later cards.

A small continuation bet on this dry flop can fold out weaker unpaired hands while keeping the cost modest with two overcards.

Second pair has enough showdown value against a small continuation bet, and the price is favorable. Calling keeps weaker bluffs and overcards in while avoiding an unnecessary raise with a vulnerable hand.

I have a weak middle pair on a connected board and can see the river for free. A check keeps the pot controlled.

K-high has little equity and no meaningful draw on this turn. After the big blind called the flop bet, checking is better than bluffing into a range that often includes pairs or draws.

My pair of fives is a modest bluff-catcher on this connected board, and a value bet is unlikely to get called by worse hands. I’ll take the showdown after the turn checked through.

King-high has some showdown value against missed draws. After checking the turn, a river bluff is unlikely to fold out many better hands.

Pocket threes on the button in 3-handed play are a clear open-raise; a 2.5bb open steals the blinds often and keeps set-mining value.

T6 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

QTo has enough equity against a button opening range to defend the big blind at this price.

Top pair with a moderate kicker is strong enough to continue, but checking out of position keeps the pot manageable and lets the button bet weaker hands.

Small c-bet on a Q-high board where the button has the range advantage; the bet denies equity to overcards and can take the pot down. Checking back is also fine, but a cheap bet works well here.

Top pair with a ten kicker is strong enough to continue against this small flop bet. Calling keeps weaker hands and bluffs in while avoiding a large pot out of position.

With top pair and a modest kicker, I prefer to check to the preflop raiser rather than build the pot out of position.

Pocket 33 has some showdown value but is behind most hands that call a turn bet. Checking back controls the pot and realizes equity against draws and air.

Top pair is likely ahead after the turn checks through. A modest river bet can get value from weaker pairs while limiting the cost when called by a better hand.

Getting about 3.6:1, I only need roughly 22% equity. The small river lead can include missed heart and spade draws, and my 33 beats all of those and blocks some wheel and six-three straights.

4♦2♠ is too weak to continue, even from the button; avoid investing more with a dominated hand.

The button folded, and completing costs only 50 chips into a 150-chip pot. Despite a weak hand, the price is good enough to see a flop heads-up.

Q7o in the BB against an SB limp is ahead of a limping range and has position postflop, so a raise to 3.5x to take the initiative is reasonable. Checking would also be fine.

7-3 offsuit is too weak to defend against a 3.5-big-blind raise, even heads-up and in position.