Hold'em table

Q7o is a weak hand from the button in a 3-handed game. Folding preserves chips against potential aggression and avoids difficult post-flop situations.

Closing the action heads-up, 8-5 offsuit can profitably realize some equity for the additional half blind rather than surrendering the small blind.

I have pocket aces, the strongest starting hand. The small blind limped, so I raise for value and to start building a pot.

8-5 offsuit is too weak to continue against a substantial big-blind raise, especially out of position.

A♣J♣ is a strong button opening hand three-handed, and raising builds value while applying pressure to the blinds.

Getting 1.8:1 with an ace against a button open, I have enough equity to defend; I'll proceed cautiously out of position and can fold if the big blind squeezes.

The board is coordinated and connects well with the button's preflop raising range. With only A-high and a gutshot, checking keeps the pot small and lets me see a turn card without exposing chips.

I have top pair with an ace kicker and a gutshot to Broadway. I bet for value and protection on this coordinated board.

I have only a gutshot with a tainted overcard out of position, and the pot odds are insufficient against a preflop raiser's flop bet on a coordinated board.

Three-handed button with an ace, raising to 3bb is a standard steal and gives me position if called.

86 offsuit is too weak to defend against a button 3x open out of position in this shallow-information spot.

K6o is a weak hand in early position. With 100 chips to call and a full stack, folding preserves chips and avoids playing a marginal holding out of position.

KQs is a strong heads-up blind-versus-blind holding and should raise for value and initiative.

With JJ in the big blind facing a small blind raise, I'll 3-bet for value and to take initiative.

KQs is a strong suited broadway hand with good playability against a likely wide blind-versus-blind 3-bet. Calling preserves its equity without inflating the pot out of position.

I continuation-bet with two overcards and a strong diamond draw, applying pressure while retaining substantial equity when called.

I flopped top set on a draw-heavy board. I'm raising for value and to charge flush and straight draws.

I have a queen-high diamond draw plus two overcards, giving sufficient equity and favorable pot odds against the flop raise. Calling keeps weaker hands and bluffs in while preserving flexibility.

After the large flop raise and call, checking back realizes our substantial draw equity with the queen-high diamond draw and gutshot while avoiding a costly turn check-raise.

I have top set on a draw-heavy board and want to extract value from worse made hands while charging flush and straight draws. A 3500 bet keeps worse pairs in and denies proper odds to draws.

I have a queen-high diamond draw plus a gutshot to the king-high straight, giving sufficient equity and river implied odds versus this sizing. Shoving is unlikely to fold out hands getting an excellent price.

With no showdown value, shoving is the only way to win the pot. The river's third diamond credibly represents a two-diamond hand and can pressure one-pair holdings.

Pot odds are excellent and my set of jacks beats all but a flush; opponent's line is consistent with a flush draw but also with overpairs, so calling is profitable.

J-high with a deuce is too weak to profitably enter against both blinds from the button.

Calling the extra 50 with Q2o in a blind battle; pot odds are good enough to see a flop, and we can fold to further aggression.

With 9s5s (weak hand), checking is prudent to see the flop cheaply. Seat 2 folded, leaving heads-up against seat 3 who just called. No need to raise with this marginal holding.

I flopped top pair (queens) with a weak kicker on a monotone board; a ~75% pot bet charges flush draws and gets value from worse pairs while keeping control of the pot.

I have 9-5 offsuit on a Q-T-5 board against an opponent who raised on the flop claiming top pair. My hand is weak (bottom pair with bad kicker), and calling 150 more chips risks getting outdrawn or facing continued aggression. Folding preserves my stack for better spots.

7-3 offsuit is too weak to call or raise from the button in a 3-handed pot, especially with two players already in for 50 and 100.

With Ace-Nine offsuit from the small blind, I have a premium hand to play. The button folded, leaving just the big blind, and I need to put pressure on the pot. Raising to 300 chips (3x the big blind) is a standard play that gives me fold equity while allowing me to build the pot with a strong starting hand.

Defending the big blind against a small blind min-raise is appropriate with Q-high at this favorable price; Q5 suited-ish is not available here, but the price still warrants a call heads-up.

I have Ad9h on a QcAc6c flop, giving me top pair with an Ace. This is a strong hand but not the nuts. Checking allows me to see the turn while controlling pot size and gathering more information from my opponent's actions before committing more chips.

With middle pair and no club on a highly coordinated board, checking back controls the pot and realizes equity against the preflop raiser.

I have Ad9h on a four-flush board (Qc-Ac-6c-8c). While I have the nut flush draw with two cards to come and a pair of Aces, checking allows me to see the river cost-free while keeping my opponent guessing. Betting here doesn't gain much value since my opponent will likely fold weak hands or call with stronger holdings.

With a middling pair on a four-club board, checking preserves showdown value and avoids getting called primarily by stronger hands.

I hold Ad9h on a river board of QcAc6c8c7s, giving me a pair of Aces. Both opponents checked through flop and turn, indicating weak holdings. Checking is safe and allows us to reach showdown while controlling pot size.

Betting as a bluff on the four-club board can fold out many non-club hands that beat or chop with our pair of queens. The sizing risks modestly while credibly representing a flush.

I hold 9h-Ad (pair of Aces with 9 kicker) on a 4-flush board (Qc-Ac-6c-8c-7s). Seat 2 raised 400 on the river after checking turn, suggesting a strong hand or made flush. My Ace-high is vulnerable and likely beaten by a completed flush or better pair. Folding saves chips here.