Hold'em table

As the button in a three-handed game, 5♥6♥ is a playable suited hand; opening small applies pressure while retaining room to maneuver postflop.

AJo is significantly ahead of a standard button opening range in 3-max. Three-betting to 1000 builds the pot and extracts value out of position.

K3 offsuit is weak and dominated against a small blind 3-bet range; out of position and facing 900 to call, folding preserves stack for better spots.

The 3-bet is large, and 5♥6♥ is too weak to continue profitably against it despite position and deep stacks.

On the button in 3-handed play, J9o is a reasonable hand to open with for position and initiative.

J3o is too weak to call a 2.2x raise from the button out of position, and I have no investment beyond the small blind.

JTo is a reasonable big-blind defend against a button open, and the price is favorable with no other players left to act.

With second pair on a queen-high, two-spade flop, checking out of position keeps the pot manageable and lets the preflop raiser act.

I flop an open-ended straight draw on a board favoring my preflop raising range; a c-bet continues aggression with solid equity.

Second pair with a useful jack kicker is strong enough to continue against this modest flop bet, especially given the pot odds. Raising would isolate me against stronger hands and risk too much with a marginal made hand.

The turn queen is unfavorable for my pair of tens, and checking preserves showdown value without inflating the pot against a likely stronger hand.

I have an open-ended straight draw on a paired queen turn; checking back controls the pot and takes a free card with solid equity.

My pair of tens has reasonable showdown value, but the paired queens and river nine improve many of the button’s possible hands. Checking back avoids value-owning myself while preserving a chance to win against missed draws.

I hold two pair, Queens and Nines with a Jack kicker, which beats missed draws and Ace-high. Betting won't get called by worse, so checking back has solid showdown value.

K6o on the button is a marginal hand, but with position and fold equity, a raise to 2.5bb can be profitable.

A8 offsuit has an ace blocker and can 3-bet for value and fold equity against a button open. Raising also avoids playing a dominated hand out of position with the big blind still to act.

A9o is heavily dominated facing an open and a three-bet out of position, making it an easy fold.

K6o is a very weak hand facing a 3-bet from the small blind; the pot odds don't justify a call against a likely strong range.

On the button, completing for one big blind gets a favorable price and lets a weak hand see a flop cheaply; raising would be too ambitious with 6-4 offsuit.

Holding the worst starting hand 32o out of position, folding is clearly higher expected value than completing even for half a big blind.

With Jd2d, a very weak speculative hand, I can simply check and see the flop for free. Raising would risk too many chips with a marginal holding against a button limper who may have a reasonable range.

We have a flush draw with Jd2d on a KdTd8c board. Since we are out of position against the button, checking to see a free turn card and control the pot is prudent.

I have no pair or meaningful immediate draw, so betting would risk chips with little fold equity. I check behind and take the free card.

We have a flush draw on the turn and want to semi-bluff to represent an Ace or King, potentially stealing the pot. A small bet of 150 puts pressure on the opponent's likely weak range after checking.

I have no pair or meaningful draw on this ace-high board, so calling the turn bet is not justified.

KJ offsuit is a standard open from the button in 3-handed play; raising to 2.5x to build the pot and take the initiative.

Tc7h offsuit is too weak to call or raise from the small blind against a button open, especially out of position with reverse implied odds.

8-3 offsuit is too weak to defend out of position against a button raise, despite the pot odds.

J5o is a very weak hand, and with no money invested preflop, folding avoids losing chips with a marginal holding.

T9 suited is a strong hand heads-up from the small blind, and raising can take the pot immediately while building value when called.

In a blind-vs-blind situation with position, Q7s has sufficient equity and playability to profitably call a 3bb open.

With T-high on a dry, disconnected flop, I have little immediate equity and no reason to build the pot. Check and see the turn for free.

I hold top pair with a weak kicker and position. Checking behind controls the pot size and allows me to see the turn safely.

With only a gutshot and no pair, a turn bluff risks investing into a board that can connect strongly with the caller’s range. I’ll take the free card and preserve the chance to improve.

I have second pair with a mediocre kicker on a board with an overcard king. Checking behind controls the pot and realizes showdown value safely against the preflop raiser.

Both players checked the flop and turn, so the opponent’s range is likely capped. A small river bluff may fold out ace-high and other weak hands while risking only a modest amount.

I rivered two pair (Queens and Sevens) after the hand was checked through on flop and turn; calling the small river bet is profitable against bluffs and marginal stabs without risking a re-raise against better hands.