Hold'em table

As the button in a three-handed game, 9♠6♣ is playable as a steal-raise; raising applies pressure rather than limping into the blinds.

In 3-handed play the button opens a wide range, so A4o is a decent 3-bet from the small blind. The ace blocks strong hands, and raising avoids a passive out-of-position call with the big blind still to act.

JTs has enough playability to call the 3-bet at this stack depth, especially with position on the small blind. I prefer calling to building a larger pot with a 4-bet.

A 9-6 offsuit is far too weak to continue against a large 3-bet and a caller, especially out of position to both opponents postflop.

Top two pair on a spade-draw board as the preflop 3-bettor; bet for value against Ax and draws and to deny equity.

J-high has no made hand or immediate draw on this ace-high flop. Facing a sizable bet from the preflop reraiser, calling is unlikely to be profitable.

Three-handed on the button, Q2o is a marginal but acceptable steal. A small 2.5bb open pressures both blinds cheaply.

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

A♥J♥ is strong enough to squeeze for value against the button raise and small-blind call, while a larger sizing helps narrow the field out of position.

Q2o is far too weak to call a big-blind squeeze to 10bb out of position against a strong range, and the small blind is still left to act behind me. Folding and giving up the 2.5bb open is correct.

JTo is often dominated by a big-blind squeeze range, and calling 750 more would leave me out of position after the flop.

Q2 offsuit is too weak to open profitably against two players at 100 big blinds.

T-J offsuit is a strong heads-up hand against the big blind after the button folds. Raise to build the pot and take the initiative.

The small blind's range is wide in a blind-vs-blind spot, and K8s has plenty of equity for a 200-chip call into a 400 pot. Calling realizes that equity in position, and K8s does not play well as a 3-bet for value.

A small continuation bet uses my preflop range advantage on the ace-high board and can fold out some of the big blind’s unpaired hands. I have limited equity if called, so I’m keeping the sizing modest.

Getting 5:1 against a small c-bet while in position, and king-high has enough equity against the small blind's wide range to continue, with some overcard outs.

With only jack-high and no meaningful draw, a turn bluff is unlikely to fold stronger hands after the flop call. Check and avoid putting more chips in without improving.

The opponent checked the turn after a small flop c-bet, which looks like weakness. My king-high has little showdown value, so a medium stab can fold out 9x, underpairs and weak hands.

With only jack-high and no meaningful draw, calling 550 requires too much equity. Fold to the turn raise.

On the button, 7-5 offsuit is weak but has enough positional value to complete cheaply rather than invest more with a raise.

The button limped, so I'm getting 50 into 250 (5:1) to complete with J6o from the small blind; that price justifies a call even though I'll be out of position. Raising would be weak because the button has shown interest and the big blind is still behind me.

Q5 offsuit is too weak to raise for value against two limpers. Checking sees the flop at no additional cost.

I have a gutshot to Broadway (need a 10) with no pair, out of position in a three-way limped pot. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me see what the others do.

Middle pair with a weak kicker is worth continuing with, but betting into two opponents on this coordinated flop risks building a pot against stronger hands. Checking keeps the pot manageable.

I have no pair or meaningful immediate draw on this king-high board. Checking keeps the pot small and preserves my limited backdoor straight potential.

Jack-high with a gutshot to AT isn't worth it; I only have 4 outs. Bluffing into two players on a K-Q board with draws around has low fold equity, so I'll check.

My pair of queens is likely ahead often after the flop checks through. A modest turn bet gets value from draws and weaker pairs while limiting the pot against a king.

I have only seven-high with no meaningful draw on this board, so calling the turn bet is not justified.

With only jack-high, no real draw and no pair, calling 175 into 650 isn't justified, and bluff-raising a turn bet has little fold equity.

Three-handed on the button, 74s is a playable suited hand at the edge of a wide opening range, and a small open pressures the blinds.

A2 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

Calling the small additional amount with a hand that has enough raw equity against a button open to defend from the big blind. Folding would give up too often at these pot odds.

I have an open-ended straight draw, so checking keeps the pot manageable while letting me realize equity and respond to a bet.

Open-ended straight draw on a paired low board that favors the preflop raiser; a small c-bet gives fold equity with a strong equity backup. If called, we still have plenty of outs to the straight. ... Betting about 36% of pot.

I have an open-ended straight draw with eight apparent outs, and the call is a manageable fraction of the pot. Folding would give up useful equity against this small flop bet.

I have a gutshot straight draw but little showdown value, and checking lets me take the river without inflating the pot after calling the flop bet.

My 7-high has almost no showdown value on this double-paired board, so a semi-bluff with the gutshot to a 6 can fold out overcards that beat me, and villain's two checks suggest weakness.)

I have only an eight-out straight draw, giving roughly 17% equity to improve on the river, below the price of calling 550. The paired board also creates risk that some apparent improvements will not be good against a strong hand.

8-3 offsuit is too weak to play from the button against both blinds.

Calling costs only 50 chips to contest the 150-chip pot, and the price is worthwhile heads-up despite the weak offsuit hand.

J7o is a marginal hand against a small-blind limp, so I'll take the free flop and keep the pot small out of position.

I have an open-ended straight draw but no made hand, so I’ll take the free card rather than build the pot out of position.

Top pair with a decent kicker in a limped pot on a wet, draw-heavy board. A bet of about two-thirds pot gets value from weaker pairs and draws and charges the many turn cards that could hurt me.

I have an open-ended straight draw with eight nominal outs, giving sufficient equity to continue against this small flop raise. Calling keeps the pot manageable while preserving the chance to improve.

I have an open-ended straight draw but only a weak high-card hand, so checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me realize my equity out of position.

A pair of sevens has showdown value, but the 9 turn makes this board very connected: any 8 already has a straight and the opponent's flop call covers many draws. Checking controls the pot and avoids getting check-raised off my equity.

My hand has no pair or made straight, and the river king can improve my opponent’s range. Checking avoids putting more chips in with little showdown value.

Our middle pair of sevens has showdown value on a coordinated board. Betting would mostly get called by better hands and fold out worse ones, so we check and take the free showdown.