Hold'em table

On the button in a 3-handed game, Ks2d is playable but weak; raising to 2.5x aims to steal the blinds and capitalize on position. If called, we can evaluate on the flop.

Ace-nine suited... wait offsuit, still a decent hand; 3-betting from SB against a button open applies pressure and builds pot with a hand that plays well heads-up or against one caller.

2-5 offsuit is one of the weakest hands, and facing a raise plus a 3-bet (750 more to call) it is an easy fold.

K2o is a very weak hand and plays poorly against a 3-bet range, even in position. Folding preserves my stack for better spots.

T5 offsuit is a weak hand from the button facing a raise-like blind situation; folding preserves chips.

T6 suited from the small blind, heads-up against the big blind, with only 50 more to call for a pot of 150 (3-to-1). The price is good enough to see a flop.

Tc3h is a very weak hand; checking allows me to see the flop for free without risking additional chips.

Heads-up on a dry 2-4-8 flop with ten-high and a backdoor flush draw, I'm first to act. A min-bet of 100 into the 200 pot is a cheap stab that could take it down and gives me some equity if called.Ten-high may also be ahead of a limped big blind range.}

I have Tc3h on 2s4d8c, no pair, no draws, and facing a bet. Folding is the best option.

On the button in 3-handed play with 9c8h, a suited-ish connector-type hand (offsuit 98) has decent playability and a cheap price of 100 to win 250 total. Calling is reasonable rather than folding or bloating the pot.

Getting 5:1 pot odds with a speculative hand that can flop well; raising would risk a reraise from the big blind with a weak holding.

I'm already in with no raise to call; 97o offsuit isn't strong enough to raise, so I check my option and see a cheap flop.

I have a weak gutshot draw with 9h8c on a Ts5dQs board and no showdown value. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me see a free turn card without risking chips out of position.

Gutshot draw with no pair; checking behind is fine since action is already checked to me and I'm closing the action cheaply.

On the button with an open-ended straight draw (9-8 on T-5-Q) after both opponents checked, a small half-pot bet takes the pot often and keeps equity when called.}

We have only a gutshot straight draw with 9h8c on a QsTs5d board facing a 200 bet into 500. We lack direct odds to call profitably and have poor implied odds due to no other draws and bad position, so folding is best.

No pair, no draw, and facing a bet with weak holdings; easy fold.

Q4o is a very weak hand with poor playability and no investment; folding avoids losing chips and preserves stack for better opportunities.

Button raise with Q9o in a 3-handed pot to pressure both blinds and take advantage of position.

99 is a strong hand in 3-handed play. Facing a button open to 250 with the big blind still to act, a 3-bet from the small blind builds the pot and denies equity to weaker hands.

QTo is too weak to call a 3-bet from the small blind out of position; easy fold.

Facing a large 3-bet with weak offsuit Q9, not worth continuing from the button against a strong re-raise.

T9 offsuit on the button in a 3-handed game is a playable hand, and calling 100 to win a 250 pot is a good price. I'll see a flop with position.

72o is a very weak hand, especially from the small blind with a caller already in. Folding saves chips and avoids playing a bad hand out of position.

AQ is a strong hand heads-up against a single limper; raising to isolate and build the pot for value.

T9o on the button, getting 550 to 300 (about 1.8 to 1) against a big blind 3-bet-sized raise. I have position and a playable hand, so calling is reasonable and I don't need to bloat the pot out of position.... a call is better than folding or bluff-raising.The raise is only 4x the BB, so a call is fine.}

I have overcards plus a gutshot straight draw with two players to act behind; a continuation bet here applies pressure and gives me good equity if called.

Top pair with a gutshot and a backdoor flush draw. Calling 500 into a pot of 1350 gets about 2.7-to-1 and keeps the bluffs in range, and I act last on later streets.

I hold an open-ended straight draw (K or 9 completes) plus two overcards, and as preflop/flop aggressor I want to keep pressure on a passive opponent while building the pot for a strong future street.

Top pair with a weak kicker, plus a gutshot to the straight (Q or 8 needed) and a backdoor draw. Pot odds are about 2.5 to 1 facing 1200 into 3050, so a call is reasonable against a bet that could be a bluff, and raising would only get called by better hands.

I have only ace-high with no pair; opponent has called two streets showing strength, so I check to avoid bleeding more chips with a weak hand.

I hold jacks and tens, but the board pair means any overpair (QQ+) beats me, and few worse hands would call a bet. Checking back keeps the pot small and gets me to showdown.