Hold'em table

QJo is a strong opening hand three-handed on the button; raising leverages position and can win blinds or build a pot in position.

5-2 offsuit is the weakest starting hand, and facing a 250-chip call from the small blind with no positional edge makes folding the clear choice.

K7 suited is a reasonable big-blind defense against a button raise, with suited playability and enough equity for the 200-chip call into a 450-chip pot. Calling keeps weaker hands in the button's range without inflating the pot out of position.

This paired ace-high flop favors the preflop raiser's range, so checking out of position is preferable to leading. King-high has some showdown value and a backdoor diamond draw.

As the preflop raiser in position on a paired Ace flop, a small continuation bet leverages range advantage and can fold much of the big blind's non-Ace range despite my modest showdown value.

King-high has showdown value against a wide button continuation-betting range, plus a backdoor diamond flush draw. Calling 250 into 900 is reasonable at this price; raising would mostly fold out weaker hands.

Checking keeps the pot controlled with king-high showdown value and a newly acquired nut-flush draw. The preflop raiser retains the range advantage on this paired-ace board, so leading is unnecessary.

Opponent checked the turn after calling a small flop bet on the paired Ace board. Barreling represents a strong Ace and can fold 9x, underpairs and draws, while my Q-high has little showdown value.

The nut-flush draw, occasional live king outs, and potential river value make calling worthwhile despite insufficient direct odds for the flush alone. Raising would risk too much against an ace-heavy continuing range.

The river king gives me two pair and useful showdown value, but a lead is unlikely to get much action from worse after two barrels. Checking keeps the opponent's bluffs in and avoids building the pot against trips or better.

I have only a pair of Aces with K-Q-J kickers and opponent called flop and a large turn bet, likely holding an Ace, King, nine, or a pocket pair for two pair. A river bluff is unlikely to fold those hands, so checking preserves chips and gives a chance against missed draws.

Suited 5-4 on the button is a playable speculative hand, and calling 100 into a 150 pot in a three-way pot gives good odds to see a flop.

83 offsuit is too weak to complete profitably from the small blind, even at this price. We would be out of position against both opponents, with the big blind still able to raise.

Free flop heads-up from the big blind with weak Q4o; raising out of position would build a pot with a marginal hand against a limping range.

With queen-high, a gutshot to a straight and backdoor clubs, checking free is best out of position on a connected flop that favors the limper's range.

I have a pair of fives with a gutter straight draw on a dry-ish board, and the big blind already checked, so checking keeps the pot small and avoids bloating it with a marginal holding.

Heads-up after a checked flop, I have a queen-high club flush draw with fold equity against a wide limped range; a turn semi-bluff can win the small pot now and still improve on the river if called.

I hold a weak pair of fives with a gutshot, and facing 200 to call I need roughly 23% equity for one river card, which 4 outs do not provide against a turn bet after a flop check.

74 offsuit is too weak to open profitably on the button without evidence that the blinds overfold. Folding avoids investing in a hand with poor equity and playability.

J6o has enough equity heads-up against the big blind for the cheap completion price of 50 into 150, despite being out of position postflop.

Checking my big blind option is free, and T7 offsuit is too weak to justify raising into a heads-up pot against seat_1's limp.

J-high with only weak backdoor straight potential on a Q-T-2 two-diamond board; checking takes a free card and avoids bluffing into a wide BB range with many draws that can call.

I hold a pair of tens with a Queen kicker-level board, so this is a medium-strength hand. Checking keeps the pot small and controls the size against a player who has already checked.

J-high with no meaningful draw has almost no equity when called, so take the free river rather than bluffing into a wide big-blind range on a paired-pair heavy board.

I hold a pair of tens with a queen-high board, so checking keeps the pot small and lets me take a free showdown against a check-checking opponent.

With only jack-high on the paired board I have minimal showdown value, so a pot-sized bluff can fold out ace/king-high and small pairs that currently beat me.

With Ts7h on this board I have two pair, tens and twos, which beats most single-pair queen holdings. Calling the 200 river bet keeps the hand profitable without risking more against a possible stronger queen.

Q4 offsuit is too weak to open or call from the button in 3-handed play; it plays poorly postflop and is below a profitable opening range.

Three-ten offsuit is a weak hand to play out of the small blind against a big blind, so I'd rather give up the 50 chips than pay to see a flop.

Nine-seven suited is a playable suited connector on the button in a 3-handed pot, so calling the 100-chip big blind is a reasonable way to see a cheap flop.

J8 suited has sufficient multiway potential to complete the small blind at 5-to-1 pot odds. Calling keeps the pot small out of position without turning a playable hand into a marginal isolation raise.

K5o is too weak to raise into two limpers out of position; taking the free flop in the big blind preserves equity cheaply.

With only jack-high and backdoor straight and flush possibilities, betting into two opponents on this coordinated flop is unattractive. Checking preserves chips and lets me reassess after their actions.

King-high with only backdoor draws on a Q-7-6 two-diamond board; checking free in middle position avoids bluffing into two limpers who may have hit the queen or a draw.

I have a pair of sevens with an 8 gutshot to a straight, so checking keeps the pot small and lets me see the turn cheaply.

With only jack-high and no direct draw, betting into two opponents offers limited value. Checking preserves chips and allows a free river if both opponents check.

K-high is weak on the paired board in a 3-way limped pot, but checking is free and preserves equity to improve or win against busted draws at showdown.

I have a pair of sevens with a nine kicker against a paired queen board, so I have showdown value but little room to bet profitably. Checking is free and keeps the pot small.

With only jack-high and two opponents still in, a river bluff must get through both ranges without strong blockers. Checking avoids investing more in this weak hand.

I have kings over queens after a checked-down limped pot, likely best but vulnerable to better kickers and queens. A small river bet can get calls from smaller pairs and two-pair hands while keeping losses limited versus better hands.

A pair of sevens with a nine kicker is likely good against a river bluff or a weaker queen, and calling 150 into a 450 pot is a good price.

My jack kicker has negligible showdown value against a river bet and a call. With no useful blockers or credible value-heavy raising line, folding is better than calling or bluff-raising.

Pocket fives are a clear button open three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds can win the blinds immediately while preserving positional advantage when called.

9-4 offsuit is a very weak hand facing a button raise to 250 from the small blind; calling out of position would be unprofitable.

Heads-up against the button's 250 open, I'm getting about 2.7-to-1 on a 150 call with Q-7 offsuit, which is enough to continue, so I'll call rather than fold or raise.

I hold three queens (a set) on a Q-Q-3 flop, so I want to bet for value and build the pot while the button may continue with weaker holdings.

Pocket fives have enough showdown value to call once in position against a lead that can include weaker pairs and unpaired bluffs. Calling keeps those hands in while avoiding an unnecessary raise against queens or higher pocket pairs.

With three queens on a Q-Q-3-K board I have a very strong made hand, so I bet about two-thirds of the pot to get value from weaker pairs and draws.

Pocket fives are a weak bluff-catcher against a second substantial bet, with the king improving some opposing hands. Calling requires about 28% equity, and our limited improvement prospects do not justify continuing against this line.