Hold'em table

Queen-jack suited is strong enough in 3-handed play from the button to raise for value and to take the initiative from the blinds.

52 suited is too weak to defend against a 3bb button raise from the small blind, with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids investing more with poor equity and positional disadvantage.

K7 suited is too strong to fold in the big blind versus a wide button open, getting good pot odds heads-up despite being out of position.

With only a pair of aces and king kicker on a paired board, any pocket pair or ace beats me; checking controls the pot and lets me evaluate the button raiser's action.

I have Q-J high with no pair on an A-A-4 board, and the big blind checked, so checking keeps the pot small and avoids bloating it with a weak hand.

With K-high and a diamond flush draw on a paired Ace board, checking takes a free river and preserves showdown value against missed broadways that a bet would fold, while avoiding a raise from an Ace or pocket pair.

I hold a pair of aces on a turn board with no flush or straight draw, and seat_3 has already checked, so checking keeps the pot controlled while I can still realize my showdown value.

We have Aces and Kings on a paired board, beating pocket pairs below Kings and unpaired hands, but losing to any Ace, King, 99 or 44. Checking controls the pot and gets a cheap showdown rather than value-betting into a preflop raiser range rich in Ace/King hands that will call and beat us.

We hold a pair of aces on the board with Q-J kickers, which is a showdown-value hand, and seat_3 has already checked, so checking back is the sensible line with no reason to bet into a possibly stronger range.

Even on the button, 5-4 offsuit is too weak for a standard open at 100bb without evidence that the blinds overfold. Folding avoids investing in a hand with low equity and poor playability.

3-8 offsuit is a very weak disconnected hand out of position against the big blind; calling or raising risks more chips with poor equity and playability.

4-7 offsuit is a very weak hand even on the button in 3-handed play; calling or raising 1bb+ has negative expected value against the blinds.

Heads-up against the big blind with only 50 chips to call, calling with J6 offsuit is a cheap speculative play that keeps the pot small while I see a flop.

T7 offsuit is too weak for a routine value raise against the small blind's limp. Checking realizes equity for free while preserving position postflop.

I have J-6 with no pair on a T-Q-2 board, only a backdoor-style straight draw, so checking takes a free card and avoids bloating a weak hand.

Second pair with a weak kicker has showdown value but is not strong enough to build a large pot. Checking back controls the pot and avoids a check-raise on this draw-heavy board.

I hold only Jack-high with no pair and a weak draw on a T-Q-2-3 board, so checking keeps the pot small and takes the free card.

With second pair after two checks from the small blind, a half-pot bet can get value from weaker pairs and draws while denying free equity to overcards.

I have Jack-high with no pair or real draw on a T-Q-2-3 board, so facing a turn bet I should fold rather than invest more chips.

Q4 offsuit is weak, but on the button it is cheap to complete the 100-chip blind in a three-handed pot with position on both blinds. Calling keeps the hand cheap and avoids giving up a small amount of equity.

T3 offsuit is weak and poorly connected, with limited equity realization from the small blind. Even at this price, folding avoids playing a marginal hand out of position with the big blind still able to raise.

7-3 offsuit is very weak, but checking is free in the big blind against a single limp, so take the free flop.

With 7-3 on an A-A-9 board I have only a weak pair of aces with no draw, so checking for free keeps the pot small and avoids bluffing into a limped range that often has better kickers, pairs, a 9, or an ace.

I have Q-4 with no pair against an ace-high board, so I have little showdown value, and checking gets to see a free next card without adding chips.

With 7-high on a double-paired board I have almost no showdown value and no draw, but checking is free and avoids bluffing into a limped range that often has a better kicker and will call.

We hold AA99 with a Q kicker, a strong two-pair hand, and seat_3 has checked twice, so a value bet of 200 into the 250 pot builds the pot while keeping the action simple.

With 7s3d on AA99 board I only play the board with a weak 7 kicker and have no draw. Facing an 80% pot turn bet after a limp, calling or bluff-raising is unprofitable against likely Ace, 9, or better kickers.

97 suited is a profitable button open three-handed, with position and good postflop playability. Raising to 2.5 big blinds puts pressure on the blinds while keeping the investment modest.

J8 suited has good playability and ~40% equity against a wide button open in 3-handed play; calling 200 into 400 offers acceptable pot odds despite being out of position.

I'm getting about 4-to-1 on a 150-chip call in a three-way pot with a weak K-5 offsuit, so calling is a cheap way to see a flop from the big blind.

Weak backdoor club and straight draws with jack high in a 3-way pot; check for a free card rather than bluffing into a queen-high, draw-heavy board.

I hold King-high with no pair and no strong draw on a 7-Q-6 board, so checking keeps the pot small and avoids bloating it out of position.

Middle pair has showdown value but is too weak to bet comfortably for value against two opponents on this draw-heavy flop. Checking back controls the pot and preserves the option to improve or respond to turn action.

With J-high, no meaningful draw on a paired Queen board and two opponents, checking preserves equity from pairing outs without risking chips bluffing into a checked-through flop.

I have only King-high on a board with paired queens, so I have little showdown value. Checking is free and keeps the pot small, which is the better choice than bluffing into two opponents.

My pair of sevens has modest showdown value, but betting into two opponents risks isolating against better hands. Checking keeps the pot controlled and lets me reassess in position on the river.

Three-way after two checked streets, my Jack-high pair of queens has some showdown value against missed diamond and straight draws. Bluffing into two opponents who can call with any pair, King, Queen, or Ace-high is unlikely to fold both often enough.

Holding a pair of kings on a paired board with two opponents who both checked, a check keeps the pot small and controls risk, and it is the only legal way to continue without folding.

My two pair has some showdown value, but a bet is unlikely to get called by worse or reliably fold out better against two opponents. Checking realizes that value without risking additional chips.

Pocket fives on the button in 3-handed play is a strong open; raising to 2.5bb builds value and takes initiative.

Nine-four offsuit is a weak hand to play out of the small blind against a button raise, and calling 200 more is not justified by the pot odds with this holding.

Calling costs 150 into a 400-chip pot, requiring about 27% equity. Q7 offsuit is a marginal but reasonable big-blind defense against a typically wide button opening range, especially with no rake.

Check to the preflop raiser on this dry paired board, allowing continuation bets and bluffs into our trips. Our hand needs little protection, and checking keeps weaker hands in the pot.

With queens and fives on a paired flop after the big blind checked, betting for protection and value denies overcard equity and charges weaker pairs and draws.

Trips are strong on this dry board, and calling keeps the opponent's bluffs and weaker made hands in the pot. The weak kicker also favors keeping the pot controlled against better queens.

Trips are strong enough to continue, but checking to the preflop aggressor preserves their bluffs and lets them value-bet kings. Leading could chase away weaker hands while isolating us against stronger queens.

With pocket fives on a QQK board I have weak two-pair showdown value; betting would fold worse hands and get called by Kx, Qx, and higher pairs, so checking to realize equity is best.

I have unbeatable four queens, so I want to build value rather than risk a check-back. A near-pot bet targets calls from full houses and potentially ace-high bluff-catchers.

Our pocket fives make queens full on the river, beating ace-high trips, smaller full houses, and bluffs. Getting better than 2-to-1, a call is profitable against a river lead after the turn checked through.