Hold'em table

J8 offsuit is a reasonable button open three-handed; a 2.5bb raise applies pressure to the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

Q2 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a button raise, with the big blind still to act.

AKo in the big blind against a button open is a clear value 3-bet; sizing to 10bb out of position.

J♦8♥ is a weak offsuit hand, and calling a sizable 3-bet would be unprofitable despite position.

Ace-king offsuit is a premium three-handed button hand, so I raise for value and position.

75o from the small blind against a button open, with the big blind still left to act, is a clear fold; it plays poorly out of position.

QJs is a strong defend against a button open, and calling keeps weaker hands in while getting a reasonable price.

Check with queen-high and no immediate draw; the two spades give backdoor flush potential, so I can continue depending on the turn and opponent's action.

Top pair with top kicker is strong heads-up. A 400-chip bet gets value from weaker hands and charges draws.

The price is manageable, and Q-J has two overcards plus a backdoor spade-flush draw. Calling keeps the opponent’s bluffs and weaker bets in while avoiding a speculative raise.

I have no pair or meaningful draw, and the paired turn is better for the preflop raiser’s range. I’ll check rather than bluff into a pot where they showed willingness to continue on the flop.

Top pair with the best kicker is strong heads-up. A 900-chip bet gets value from weaker kings and draws while charging spade draws to continue.

I have only queen-high with no meaningful draw, and the turn bet is substantial. Calling would require too much equity against the opponent’s likely made-hand range.

On the button 3-handed, 95s is a standard open-raise; a 2.5bb open applies pressure to both blinds.

8♣2♣ is too weak to continue from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

With the small blind's dead money in the pot and no rake, 8♠3♠ has enough potential to defend against a button raise to 250.

I have a flush draw but am out of position against the preflop raiser. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me respond to a bet.

Bottom pair plus a backdoor heart draw in position against a BB check; a small c-bet gets folds from overcards and gets value from weaker hands, while keeping the pot manageable.

The flush draw has enough equity to call this small flop bet. Raising with an eight-high draw risks building a large pot against stronger hands.

I have a weak flush draw and no made hand. Checking keeps the pot small while giving me a chance to see the river.

With bottom pair plus a heart flush draw, betting about 63% of the pot is a semi-bluff: it builds the pot, can fold out better hands, and we have strong equity if called.

My flush draw has about a 20% chance to hit on the river, below the roughly 28% needed to call. The low flush could also be beaten, so folding is best.

As the button in a three-handed game, I can open a wide range; a small raise gives me initiative and positional advantage with this hand.

43 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

The button opened to 2.5bb and the small blind folded, so I'm getting 150 into 400 (about 27% equity needed). K2o does well enough against a wide button range, so I'll defend by calling in the big blind.

Bottom pair with a king kicker on a J-T-2 board that hits the button's range; checking keeps the pot small and lets me bluff-catch some bets.

I have no pair and only a small runner-runner straight possibility. Checking back keeps the pot small and preserves my chance to improve without folding out worse hands.

Bottom pair plus an open-ended straight draw (any A or 9) after the button checked back the flop; a ~60% pot bet takes it down against air, gets value from worse, and builds the pot when we hit.

I have no pair or meaningful draw on this connected board, and calling the turn bet would be costly with very little equity.

K7 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed. A 2.5 big blind raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

96o from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still to act, is a clear fold: we'd be out of position with a weak, dominated hand.

A3 offsuit is a reasonable big-blind defend against a button min-raise, and the price is favorable. I’ll call and evaluate the flop.

With top and bottom pair, I have a strong hand but am out of position against the preflop raiser. Checking keeps their bluffs and weaker hands in while preserving the option to raise if they bet.

A small continuation bet puts pressure on the big blind's missed hands on an ace-high board while limiting my risk with king-high.

I have two pair on a draw-heavy board, so raising for value and protection is preferable to letting overcards and diamond draws continue cheaply.

King-high has little equity on this ace-high board and no meaningful draw against a flop check-raise.

A8o on the button in a 3-handed game is a clear open-raise; a 2.5bb raise pressures both blinds.

K3 suited is a reasonable defend against a button raise in a three-handed game, and the price is favorable. Calling keeps the pot manageable while avoiding a marginal out-of-position 3-bet.

Calling 150 into a 600-chip pot gives K7 offsuit sufficient odds to see a flop, despite being out of position.

With only king-high and a backdoor flush draw on a paired flop against two opponents, checking keeps the pot small without meaningful value or fold equity.

Trip sevens with a king kicker is strong on this relatively dry flop. A modest bet can get value from tens, pocket pairs, and straight draws.

The small bet gives good pot odds: 300 to win 1050, so I need about 22% equity. Ace-high with overcard and backdoor potential should do well enough against a wide BB stab on a paired board, so I'll call rather than raise with the SB still to act.

I have no pair or meaningful immediate draw, and a bet plus a caller makes continuing with this weak hand unprofitable.

Trips with a king kicker are strong here. A 900-chip bet builds value against aces, tens, and club draws while leaving room for a river bet.

We have top pair with the turned ace. Calling 900 into a pot that becomes 3150 needs about 29% equity, and villain's range still holds draws and bluffs. Raising would mostly get called by the trips and better aces that beat us, so a call keeps the pot controlled.

My trip sevens with a king kicker are strong against the many aces and tens that can call. A 2,000-chip bet seeks value without committing my stack against a raise.

Aces-up with a board-playing kicker beats bluffs and chops with weaker aces, and I only need about 28% equity at these pot odds. Raising would only get called by 7x or better aces, so calling is best.