Hold'em table

2s3c offsuit is among the worst starting hands; even on the button in a 3-handed game it is a clear fold facing a full big blind with no equity edge.

Calling 50 closes the gap at a favorable price against one opponent. I’ll keep the pot small with this weak hand.

Taking a free flop in position with J7s after the small blind limped.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker is too thin to bet for value, so I’ll check and keep the pot small.

I have Jack-high with minimal equity on an ace-high board, so taking a free turn card is standard.

My bottom pair has a weak kicker, and the third spade makes betting unattractive. I can check and evaluate the river.

Holding Jack-high with no spades on a three-spade board, checking behind to see the river for free is standard.

My two pair can get value from an ace or a nine after both players checked the flop and turn. A small river bet limits the cost when I'm behind.

I only have Jack-high on an ace-high board with straight possibilities, which has virtually no showdown value against a river bet.

Six-deuce suited is too weak to open profitably from the button with both blinds still to act.

In a blind-versus-blind spot after the button folds, Q9o is strong enough to open-raise for value and pressure the big blind.

2-4 offsuit is one of the worst starting hands; facing a 3x open from the small blind, calling 200 into a 400 pot out of position with no equity edge is unprofitable. Fold.

Opening JTo on the button is standard in 3-handed play to steal blinds and realize positional advantage.

J4 offsuit in the small blind facing a button raise is a clear fold; it plays poorly out of position against a raiser and the big blind still to act.

K4 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a small button raise, especially with no rake.

King-high with no meaningful draw is too weak to value bet, and this board favors the preflop raiser's continuing range. I’ll check and reassess if they bet.

The 5-7-9 board strongly favors the big blind's defending range, so checking behind with two overcards and a gutshot allows us to realize equity in position.

King-high has little value to bet, and this turn gives me no meaningful draw. I’ll check and reassess if my opponent bets.

Villain has checked twice on a paired board; with a gutshot straight draw and two overcards, betting 320 chips (~65% pot) applies solid pressure as a delayed c-bet.

King-high has no meaningful draw on this paired board, and calling 320 is unlikely to be profitable.

A4o on the button in a 3-handed game is a standard open; raising to 2.5bb takes initiative and plays well against the blinds.

9♥7♥ is playable against a button open at this price. Calling keeps the pot manageable from the small blind.

Holding 52o out of position against a raise and a call is an easy fold despite the pot odds.

Middle pair with a weak kicker has some showdown value, but betting into the preflop raiser would build a pot with a vulnerable hand. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me assess their action.

I have bottom pair with top kicker and the nut flush blocker-ish ace; a small continuation bet on this dry board takes it down often versus a SB caller who checked, while keeping the pot manageable if called.

Middle pair is strong enough to continue against a small flop bet, and calling keeps weaker hands and bluffs in the pot.

Two pair is strong enough to value-bet against jacks and single-spade hands. Betting also charges draws rather than giving them a free river.

Board is 7s Jd 4s 9s with three spades; I have bottom pair with A4 and no spade. Villain check-called flop then led 600 into 1000 on the flush card, strongly representing a flush or strong hand. Calling 600 with bottom pair facing likely further aggression is unprofitable.

Pocket jacks are a strong button opening hand three-handed. Raising to three big blinds builds the pot while retaining position.

K4o is too weak to continue from the small blind against a button open.

K3 suited in the big blind facing a 3x open from the button with SB folded; getting 200 to win 450 (~31% equity needed) and closing the action, a call is reasonable with a suited king that plays okay heads-up in position disadvantage but with good pot odds.

K-high with a gutshot-ish backdoor (K3 on 4-T-2, inside straight draw needs 5 and A... actually only A5 gives wheel) on a dry board out of position against the preflop raiser; checking to the aggressor and deciding versus a c-bet is best.

Jacks are an overpair on a dry flop. A small bet gets value from tens and weaker pairs while keeping the pot manageable.

King-high with no pair, no flush draw, and only backdoor straight possibilities on 4-T-2; calling 300 into 950 with roughly 3-6 clean outs isn't profitable versus a button c-bet range, and bluff-raising out of position has little merit here.

A9s is a strong opening hand on the button in 3-handed play; raising to 2.5bb builds the pot and applies positional pressure.

J2 offsuit in the small blind facing a 2.5x button open is a clear fold; it's dominated and plays poorly out of position.

A5 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a 2.5x button open, especially with 150 to call into a 400-chip pot.

On this dry, paired flop, ace-high has some showdown value. Checking keeps the pot manageable while out of position.

C-betting small on a dry, paired board to deny equity from broadway overcards and put pressure on the big blind.

The small flop bet offers a good price. Ace-high can still be ahead on this paired board, and I have outs to improve.

My ace gives me showdown value on this board, but many pairs and stronger aces beat me. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets the button continue with weaker hands or bluffs.

The board has three treys, so any pocket pair or seven makes a full house that beats our three of a kind with an Ace kicker. Checking controls the pot and realizes showdown value against floats.

The board gives everyone four threes, and my ace is the best possible kicker. A moderate bet may get called by a weaker kicker.

Holding quad threes with the nut Ace kicker is the unbeatable nuts on this board. Raising cannot lose chips and offers pure upside if called by an inferior kicker or if an Ace folds.

I have the best possible kicker with the four threes on board. A moderate re-raise can get called by weaker kickers more often than a shove.

The board is four threes with a seven, giving us the stone cold nuts with an Ace kicker. We cannot lose this hand; shoving extracts maximum value if opponent ever calls with a non-Ace or simply chops.

Four threes are on the board, and my ace is the highest possible kicker. I cannot lose at showdown, so calling is mandatory.