Hold'em table

On the button 3-handed, 96o is a reasonable open to steal the blinds. I'm raising to 2.5bb.

Pocket jacks are strong against a button opening range. A sizable three-bet builds value and discourages the big blind from entering cheaply.

T7 offsuit is too weak to defend against a large open and a substantial three-bet from the big blind.

96o is too weak to continue against a large SB 3-bet to 11bb, even with position; calling 850 into 2300 lacks the equity and playability.

J4 suited is a reasonable button open three-handed, and a 2.5-big-blind raise applies pressure while preserving position postflop.

8♠9♥ offsuit is a marginal small-blind defense against a button open, and calling leaves the big blind able to realize position and apply pressure. Folding avoids entering a difficult multiway pot out of position.

Getting 400:150 odds in the big blind against a button 2.5x open, 97o is well within a standard defending range. It plays fine postflop, and 3-betting it would be too loose.

97o with only a gutshot (needs a J) and no club on a monotone K-high board that favors the preflop raiser, so check and give up to a bet.

J-high with no club or immediate draw has little equity when called. Checking preserves the option to respond to the turn in position.

I have nine-high with no club on a four-club board. The button's flop check-back range still holds plenty of clubs, so a bluff has little fold equity, and checking keeps the pot small.

I have little showdown value, and the fourth club plus the ace gives my preflop-raising range a credible strong hand. A 400-chip bet can fold out hands without a club.

I hold 97 offsuit with no club on a four-club board, which leaves me with only a gutshot to a J-high straight. That draw could still lose to a flush, so there is no equity worth calling 400 into 950.

2-5 offsuit is too weak to enter against both blinds from the button at this stack depth.

Blind vs blind with a weak hand; 63o is at the bottom of an SB range, but a small raise can take the pot and keeps us from limping OOP. A mixed strategy of raising or folding is fine, and raising to 3bb has decent fold equity.

K7 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a small-blind raise to 300, and calling keeps the pot manageable.

Middle pair with a weak flush draw on a monotone, connected board, out of position against the big blind's calling range. Checking controls the pot and still lets me realize equity.

I have an open-ended straight draw and a flush draw. Betting 400 into 600 builds the pot when I have strong equity and may win it immediately.

A pair of sixes plus a low flush draw gets a good price at 400 into 1000, needing about 29% equity. Raising would be too thin on a monotone board, so I'll call and re-evaluate on the turn.

Middle pair with a weak low flush draw on a scary board facing a flop bettor; check to control the pot and realize equity.

Top pair plus a diamond draw and open-ended straight draw is strong enough to bet for value and protection after the opponent checks.

Our pair of sixes has some showdown value, and we hold the 3d as a fourth diamond, giving roughly nine flush outs plus trips outs. That is close to the 29% we need at this price, and implied odds make up the rest.

Low two pair on a monotone, straight-heavy board is weak against a range that bet both the flop and turn, so betting for value gets called mostly by better hands. Checking keeps the pot controlled and lets me decide on a river bet if one comes.

Top pair with a weak kicker has showdown value, but the opponent's flop and turn calls leave many better kings, flushes, and straights in range. Checking avoids a thin value bet that may get called mostly by better hands.

Pocket fours on the button in a 3-handed game is a clear opening raise, so I'm making a standard 2.5bb steal.

Seven-six offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still to act.

J6 offsuit is too weak to defend against a button open from the big blind at this sizing.

Pocket fives are strong enough to open on the button, and a 2.5-big-blind raise builds the pot while retaining position.

Calling from the small blind with suited-equivalent connected 76 is defensible at this small sizing in a three-handed pot, preserving implied odds and avoiding an unnecessarily large preflop pot.

Getting 4:1 on the call (150 to win 600) from the big blind with Q9o in a multiway pot. Calling is profitable, while a squeeze is too thin against a caller.

With only a gutshot straight draw on a paired board in a three-way pot, checking is preferable to building the pot without made equity.

Q9 on a paired T-8-T board in a three-way pot has only a gutshot (J) plus a queen overcard, so checking to the preflop raiser is best. If the button bets, I can decide then with pot control in mind.

Pocket fives have some showdown value, but a bet into two opponents is unlikely to get called by worse hands. Checking keeps the pot manageable.

I will semi-bluff the paired turn after everyone checked the flop, representing a ten or overpair while retaining a gutshot to a straight.

Queen-high with only a gutshot facing a lead into a three-way pot, with the button still to act behind. Calling 450 into 1650 needs about 27% equity, and a gutshot gives far less.

The small blind can bet missed overcards after everyone checked the flop. My pocket fives have enough showdown value to call this relatively small turn bet, but not to raise.

My seven-high kicker on the paired board has almost no value, but a river bluff after being called on the turn is unlikely to fold out the opponent's likely pair or stronger holdings.

I rivered a full house. A 1,100-chip value bet can get called by a ten or a bluff-catching pair, while limiting the cost when an opponent has a stronger full house.

Our seven-high has no showdown value and no credible profitable bluff-raise against this river value line.

KQ offsuit is a strong button opening hand in three-handed play. Raising to 2.5bb applies pressure and builds value with position.

J5s from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still left to act, plays poorly out of position. Folding is standard here, though a 3-bet bluff is occasionally possible.

Pocket eights are strong enough to defend against a button open, but calling keeps the pot manageable out of position.

My overpair is strong on this low, draw-heavy flop. Betting charges overcards and spade draws while protecting my equity.

With two overcards but no spade or meaningful draw on this coordinated flop, calling the continuation bet is too thin against the big blind's range.