Hold'em table

On the button with a marginal hand, I raise to put pressure on the blinds and take down the pot preflop, using my positional advantage.

T5 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button 3x open with the big blind still behind.

Getting 200 to win 650 from the big blind against a button open with 100bb deep stacks, pocket threes are a profitable call for set-mining and some showdown value.

A small pair on an ace-high board that favors the button's opening range is mostly a check with showdown value. I'll check and decide against a c-bet based on its size.

I have no made hand on this ace-high flop; checking keeps the pot small and lets me see a free turn.

Pocket threes on the Td-4h-Ah-Kh board play purely as a bluff-catcher with almost no equity against a button raising range heavy in broadways. Checking controls the pot, and I can fold to significant pressure.

We have no made hand or draw on this board; checking keeps the pot small and gives us a free river.

Pocket threes have a little showdown value against a capped check-back range that includes missed draws, so checking to realize equity is better than turning it into a bluff that better pairs will call.

JTs is a strong, highly playable button opening hand three-handed. Raising builds initiative and can win the blinds directly.

96o in the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still left to act, is a clear fold. We would be out of position with a weak offsuit hand.

I'm getting a good price on the call with a king-high hand, and K5o has enough equity against a button open to see a flop. Folding would give up too much of the pot odds offered.

I have only King-high with no made hand or strong draw on a paired board, so I take the free card and see the turn.

We have trip jacks with a decent kicker and want value from queens, draws, and weaker made hands while charging diamond and straight draws.

I have a flush draw with 9 outs and an overcard, giving me enough equity to call the 400 bet into a 950 pot.

I only have King-high with a gutshot straight draw, so checking keeps the pot small and lets me see the river for free.

I have trip jacks with a ten kicker and should value-bet against aces, queens, and draws while charging hands that may improve on the river.

Three-handed, the button can open a wide range, and 65o is a playable steal candidate against two blinds. A 2.5bb open keeps the risk small.

A7o is playable against a button open in a 3-handed game, and I'm getting reasonable pot odds to see a flop in position relative to the raiser. Calling keeps the pot small and avoids bloating with a marginal hand.

K-high with a deuce is too weak to defend against a button raise and small-blind call out of position.

I have only ace-high and a gutshot, so I check to see a free turn card rather than commit chips with marginal strength.

Middle pair plus a gutshot on a dry-ish board in position, and SB checked to the preflop raiser; a small c-bet gets value and protection from overcards.

On the button with a suited queen, I raise to 2.5x to pressure the blinds and take the pot now or play in position if called.

J9 suited is a playable 3-bet candidate versus a button open, leveraging fold equity while retaining good postflop equity when called.

T2 offsuit is far too weak to continue against an open and a 3-bet, especially with the original raiser still left to act behind me. Folding my big blind is clearly correct.

Q8s is too weak to continue against a large 3bet from the small blind, so I fold and preserve chips.

Q7 offsuit is a playable button opening hand three-handed. Raising applies pressure to the blinds and retains initiative.

Q7o from the small blind facing a 2.5x button open, with the big blind still to act behind, is too weak to call out of position and is a poor 3-bet candidate. Folding is standard.

95o is a weak offsuit hand out of position against a button raise, and calling offers poor playability despite the pot odds. Folding preserves the stack for better spots.

K5 suited on the button in a 3-handed game is a clear opening hand, so I'll open to 2.5bb to pressure the blinds.

Defend the big blind with suited ace-high against the button's small raise; the price is favorable and this hand has solid nut-flush potential.

Check to the preflop raiser with bottom pair and an ace kicker, keeping their c-bet range in while avoiding inflating the pot out of position.

Top pair with a weak kicker on a dry K-high board. A small c-bet at about a third of the pot gets value from worse kings, nines and draws, and keeps the pot controlled.”}

Call with bottom pair and an ace kicker against a small continuation bet heads-up. Folding is too tight given the price and potential to improve.

Our pair of threes has modest showdown value on this paired board, but a turn bet is unlikely to be called often by worse hands while stronger kings and nines continue. Checking keeps the pot controlled.

Top pair with a weak kicker on a paired board is likely ahead of the big blind's check-call range, which is full of 9x-less medium pairs and draws. A bet of about 63% pot gets value and protection while keeping the pot manageable.

Bottom pair with an ace kicker has enough showdown value to continue against a possible double barrel from the button. Raising would mostly isolate us against stronger made hands.

We have only a weak pair of threes on a paired board after calling two streets. Checking controls the pot and gives the opponent a chance to bluff or check back.

K5 has showdown value, but our kicker is weak. A caller who has check-called twice likely holds a K with a better kicker or trips, so we should check back and realize our equity.