Hold'em table

Jack-ten suited is a strong button open; a 2.5bb raise builds the pot and takes the initiative against the blinds.

T3o is a trash hand out of position facing an open raise from the button, making it a clear fold.

A-5 offsuit has enough equity and playability to defend the big blind against a button min-raise, especially at this price. Calling avoids inflating the pot with a marginal hand.

I have ace-high with a strong diamond draw and a gutshot to a wheel, but checking to the preflop raiser keeps the pot manageable and lets me continue against a bet.

Dry paired flop and the big blind checked, so a small c-bet as the preflop raiser can take it down cheaply with overcards and no made hand.

The small flop bet offers favorable pot odds. Ace-high may still be ahead of unpaired hands, and I have backdoor flush potential plus a gutshot to a wheel.

With only ace-high and a modest draw to a wheel, checking keeps the pot small and preserves showdown value against missed hands.

I have jack-ten with no pair and no real draw on a king-high paired board, and the opponent has already called one bet. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids barreling with almost no equity.

With ace-high, I have some showdown value against missed overcards, but a river bet is unlikely to get called by worse hands. I'll check and avoid turning that showdown value into a bluff.

I have two pair, jacks and deuces, but the king on board beats me and villain's check-call flop then check-check line means a river bet mostly folds out worse and gets called by kings or trips. Checking back realizes my showdown value.

76 offsuit is too weak to open profitably from the button even in 3-handed play.

A3 offsuit is a reasonable hand to complete from the small blind heads-up, and calling keeps the pot small while getting favorable odds.

Ace-five suited is ahead of a small-blind complete heads-up, so I raise to 400 to build the pot and take the initiative before the flop.

A3 offsuit is too weak to continue out of position against the big blind’s substantial raise; calling would needlessly commit more chips with poor equity.

With a weak suited hand, I’ll take the favorable price and play in position rather than build a larger preflop pot.

Nine-seven offsuit is too weak to complete out of position with the big blind still to act, so I fold rather than invest more.

With K8o in the big blind facing a button limp and SB fold, taking a free flop is the standard, low-variance play.

I have top pair and an eight-high flush draw in a limped pot out of position; checking to control the pot size and see what the button does.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker has modest showdown value, but the monotone board favors many hands in the big blind’s range. I’ll take a free card rather than build the pot.

After the flop checked through, our top pair with a flush draw is very likely ahead of the button's limping range, so betting for value and protection is appropriate.

A weak bottom pair with a poor kicker has little showdown value on this paired, three-club board. The turn bet can represent many hands that already beat me, and I have no meaningful draw to continue.

K9o is a reasonable button open in a three-handed game, so I raise to 2.5bb rather than limp or fold.

KTs is a strong suited broadway hand from the small blind against a button open; 3-betting builds the pot with high playability and denies equity to the big blind.

A-2 offsuit is too weak to continue against a large 3-bet, especially with the button raiser still in the hand. Folding avoids investing another 9 big blinds in a dominated spot.

K9o is too weak to continue against a sizable 3-bet; it is often dominated and does not have enough equity or playability to call or 4-bet.

Opening from the button with an Ace in a 3-handed game is standard to apply pressure on the blinds.

5h2d is a very weak offsuit hand from the small blind. Calling a raise while out of position, with the big blind still to act, is not worthwhile.

62 offsuit is too weak to continue against a button open; folding avoids putting more chips in with a hand that has almost no equity or playability.

A5 offsuit is a reasonable button open in a three-handed game. Raising to 250 applies pressure while keeping the sizing modest.

85 offsuit is too weak to continue against a button open, especially out of position. Folding avoids putting more chips in with a dominated, poorly connected hand.

Holding 73o out of position against a button raise is an easy fold despite getting decent pot odds.