Hold'em table

Opening small on the button gives us a chance to steal the blinds and play in position if called. Although 76 offsuit is marginal, its connectivity offers some postflop potential.

K3 offsuit is too weak to continue from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

6-2 offsuit is the weakest hand and would be out of position against a button open. Calling 125 to win 375 gives about 25% pot odds, but the hand has poor equity and playability, so folding is best.

Pocket queens are a premium hand on the button, so I open-raise to 3x the big blind to build the pot and take the initiative.

8s6h offsuit from the small blind facing a button raise to 300 with a big blind still to act is weak and out of position, so folding is the disciplined choice.

T5 offsuit is too weak to defend profitably against a 3bb button raise out of position. Its poor playability and lack of useful blockers also make a bluff raise unattractive.

On the button in 3-handed play, J-T offsuit is a solid opening hand, so I raise to 2.5bb to take the initiative and put pressure on the blinds.

K6 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a 2.5bb button raise with the big blind still to act. Poor equity realization out of position and domination risk make folding preferable.

KQo is strong enough to continue against a button open after the small blind folds, and calling 150 keeps the pot manageable.

KQ high with no pair or real draw on a dry flop; checking to the preflop raiser in position is the disciplined line.

I have a open-ended straight draw (T-J with 9 on board needs 7-8 or Q-8... actually 8-Q) plus a backdoor flush draw, and I'm in position against a checking big blind. A small bet of about half the pot can win the pot now or build it with plenty of equity. (Note: the board is 5c 9h 3h, so I hold a gutshot-type draw, 9-T-J needs Q+K or 8+Q for straight, plus the heart T for a backdoor flush draw.)

King-queen high with no pair or draw, out of position against a flop bet. Pot odds are only marginal and reverse implied odds make calling unattractive, so folding is best.

K4 suited is a profitable button open three-handed, with position and flush potential. Raising to 2.5 big blinds pressures the blinds while keeping the investment modest.

72o is too weak to continue against a button open; folding preserves chips.

J9o in the big blind is getting 400-to-150 odds (about 27% equity needed) against a wide button open of 2.5x, so calling is profitable. Folding gives up too much, and a 3-bet with a marginal offsuit hand is not justified.

I have jack-high with a backdoor flush draw on a Qh 2d 2h board, so I check out of position against the preflop raiser instead of building a pot with a weak hand.

This paired flop favors my preflop raising range, making a small continuation bet effective against the big blind’s many missed hands. It can deny equity cheaply while retaining position if called.

Pot is 725 and I need to call 175, so I need about 19% equity. J9 with a heart gives a backdoor flush draw and a Q-high board with J-high/9 outs, and the button's small c-bet range is wide, so calling is reasonable.

I have a pair of nines (second pair) on a Q-2-2-9 board, which is a medium-strength hand that can beat bluffs but not value bets. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me call down against a continuation bettor who c-bet small on the flop.

King-high has limited showdown value, but no meaningful draw makes this a poor hand to barrel after the flop call. Checking preserves chips and takes a free chance to improve on the river.

I have a pair of 9s with a jack kicker on a Q-2-2-9-8 board. That is a marginal showdown hand. The button checked back the turn, which suggests a weak range, but a bet would mostly get called by better hands and fold out worse ones, so I check for a cheap showdown.

King-high has limited showdown value, so I am bluffing to fold ace-high and smaller pocket pairs. Holding no hearts leaves missed flush draws unblocked, while this sizing credibly represents a queen or better.

Second pair nines is a decent bluff-catcher against a wide button range that checked the turn. Calling 675 into 2250 needs only about 30% equity, which is reasonable here.

78o is playable enough for a small button open in three-handed poker, and raising builds fold equity before the blinds act.

Q9o from the small blind facing a button open of 2.5bb with the big blind still to act behind is weak and plays poorly out of position in a 3-way pot, so folding is the disciplined choice.

52 offsuit is too weak to defend against a 2.5bb button raise, with poor equity realization out of position and no useful blockers for a bluff.

Pocket sixes on the button in a 3-handed game is a strong hand. A standard raise to 3bb puts pressure on the blinds and builds the pot with a hand that plays well in position.

Q9 suited is a reasonable light three-bet against a button open, with a queen blocker and suited postflop playability. Raising rather than calling pressures the button's wide range and discourages the big blind from entering.

58 offsuit is too weak to continue against an open and a 3-bet, so folding is the clear choice.

Pocket sixes on the button have good implied odds against a small-blind 3-bet to 1100. Calling 800 into a 1500 pot is a fair price, and a 4-bet bluff or shove with 66 would be worse.

This ace-high flop favors my preflop three-betting range, making a small continuation bet an efficient bluff. Q9 has a gutshot to improve while putting pressure on weaker pairs and unpaired hands.

Pocket sixes on a Th 8d Ac board hold a medium pair with some showdown value. Calling 650 into a pot of 2950 gets decent odds against a 3-bettor's continuation bet that may be a bluff, and it keeps bluffs in their range alive. Raising would risk too much against a strong range.

The turn completes my queen-high straight, with only KQ ahead. Betting three-quarters pot extracts value from aces, two pair, sets, and draws while setting up a river shove on favorable cards.

Holding a pair of sixes on a Th 8d Ac Jh board, I'm facing a big turn raise of 2700 into a pot of 3600 after seat_1 3-bet preflop and bet every street. That line looks strong (an ace, a straight like 9x or Qx, or a set), and I only have a weak underpair with few outs, so folding is best.