Hold'em table

98o on the button in a 3-handed game is a standard open; raising to 2.5bb takes initiative and pressures the blinds.

J9o is a marginal hand out of position; calling 200 would lead to difficult postflop decisions and likely lost chips, so folding is best.

Calling 150 to see a flop closes the action for only a small price, and 5-T offsuit has enough playability in a three-way pot against a button raise of 250. Raising with this weak hand risks too much for little gain.

I have a pair of fives with a weak kicker against a preflop raiser, so checking keeps the pot small and lets me see whether seat_1 bets.

On the button vs a BB caller who checked, I have a gutshot (6 gives straight) plus backdoor equity and two overs to the low cards; a small c-bet on a dry K-high board takes it down often and keeps fold equity cheap.

I hold a pair of fives with a ten kicker, which is likely best against a continuation-bet range, and calling 300 into an 850 pot is a reasonable price.

With bottom pair of fives and an opponent who has shown aggression on the flop, checking is the pot-controlled option, and it keeps the pot small while I have a weak made hand.

We hold only a gutshot with no showdown value on a K-J board that connects well with a big blind check-caller; taking a free card to hit the 6 is better than barreling into a range full of Kx/Jx that won't fold.

I hold three fives with a king-high board, a strong hand, and seat_1 checked the turn, so a half-pot value bet should get called by weaker pairs and draws.

We hold 9d8h on 7d 5s Kc Js 5d with no pair, just nine-high after missing the straight draw. Villain bet 600 into 1150 on the river after check-calling the flop; we cannot win at showdown and a bluff-raise is unattractive against a player showing strength, so folding is correct.

Pocket fives on the button, standard open raise to 3bb to pressure blinds and take initiative.

Seven-queen offsuit is a weak hand to play out of position against a button raise to 300, so folding the small blind loses the least.

AQs in the big blind facing a button open is a clear 3-bet for value; raising to ~3.3x the open puts pressure on the button's wide range while keeping stacks manageable.

Pocket fives in position against a big blind 3-bet. I have good implied odds to set mine, and I can fold most flops without a set if pressured. Raising would overrepresent my hand, so calling is better.

As the 3-bettor with range advantage on a dry low board, a small c-bet with two overcards and a backdoor flush draw takes down the pot often and keeps the bet cheap when called.

We have a pair of fives with some showdown value and are getting good odds to call the small bet. Raising would only fold worse hands and get called by better, while folding is too tight given the opponent could be c-betting with air.

Ace-high with no draw on a coordinated 4-6-9-7 board; the turn improves the caller's range (sets, straights, pairs, draws) and barreling has poor fold equity. Checking keeps the pot controlled and preserves some showdown value against overcard hands.

With a weak pair of fives and a gutshot draw on a coordinated board, I have some showdown value but can't stand a check-raise. Checking behind keeps the pot small and lets me see a free river.

Ace-high has modest showdown value against missed broadway and busted draws; villain's turn check-back range is heavy with mid pairs that won't fold to a river bluff, so checking realizes equity cheaply.

I have bottom pair with little chance to extract value from worse hands, and better hands will call a bet. Checking behind secures a free showdown.

Six-five suited is a playable button hand in a three-handed pot, and calling 100 to see a flop is better than folding for a small price.

4c2c suited in the small blind facing a limp from the button: completing for 50 into a 250 pot gives 5:1 odds, and the suited connector-ish hand has playable flop equity multiway. Raising a weak hand out of position isn't attractive, and folding wastes the cheap price.

T5o is too weak to raise for value; checking lets me see a free flop and reassess.

4c2c completely whiffed a monotone spade flop with no flush draw; betting into two opponents with air on a board where anyone with a spade continues is poor, so check and fold to aggression.

I have a ten-high flush on a monotone board. This is a strong hand that needs protection from single spade draws. Betting about 80% of pot extracts value from weaker flushes or pairs with a spade, while making it unprofitable for naked high spades to call.

With 6s5c I hold a flush draw plus a double gutshot (4 or 8 makes a straight), roughly 15 outs, so calling 250 into a 550 pot is well above break-even.

4c2c on a 7s9s3s board gives me nothing but a weak gutshot (5-6) with no spade; facing a bet and a call from two players on a monotone board, calling 250 into 800 is unprofitable.

I have a ten-high flush on a three-spade board and am first to act; bet 600 to extract value from worse hands and charge single high spade/straight draws.

I have a pair of sixes plus a flush draw and two straight gutshots, about 15 outs, which is close to the roughly 30% equity the 600-chip call needs against the pot.

I have a T-high flush, which has showdown value but loses to any single A, K, Q, or J of spades. Since I am out of position and the pot is already large, checking controls the pot and avoids being raised by a better flush.

I have only a pair of sixes on a board with a king and no straight, and seat_2 has shown strength across three streets, so checking to showdown is the sensible low-risk line.

QJo on the button in a 3-handed game is a clear open; raising to 2.5bb takes initiative and pressures the blinds.

2c 5h is an extremely weak hand, especially out of position against a button raise; folding is the standard and profitable play.

Ace-three suited is a playable hand, and calling the 150 to complete the pot at 400 keeps the price reasonable against a button raise without bloating the pot out of position.

I have a pair of threes with an ace kicker on a Th-3c-4c board, which is a modest hand, so checking keeps the pot small and lets me see whether the button bets.

Preflop raiser in position on a dry-ish low board with two overcards and a backdoor flush draw; a small continuation bet takes down the pot often and keeps a cheap bluff with decent equity when called.

Holding a pair of 3s with an ace kicker on a T-3-4 board, I have enough equity against a button continuation bet to call 300 into an 850 pot, but not enough to raise as a bluff.

I have a pair of threes with a wheel draw needing a 2, which is not strong enough to bet into the preflop and flop aggressor, so I'll check and keep the pot manageable.

Semi-bluff with the Qc flush draw on a three-club turn after opponent check-called flop and checked again; a half-pot bet folds out weak tens and pairs, and we still have ~9 clean outs plus blocker value if called.

Calling 600 into a 1750 pot needs about 20% equity, and my pair of threes plus a wheel draw to a 2 should clear that against a wide betting range.

I have two pair (tens and threes) on a paired board, which is strong but can be beaten by a set or better. Checking keeps the pot controlled against the aggressive button and lets me win at showdown.

Q-high has no showdown value; opponent's passive check-call line on a three-club board is capped and contains many medium pairs and busted draws that can fold to a sizable river bet representing a flush or full house.

I have two pair, tens and threes with an ace kicker, which beats most value bets on this board. Calling 1600 into a 5550 pot is good pot odds against a range that includes bluffs.

On the button with A3o, raising to 2.5x the big blind to steal the blinds and leverage position; folding is too weak and calling gives up initiative.

I'm getting about 2.25-to-1 on a 200-chip call with connected cards, and the button's 250 open is fairly wide, so calling is a reasonable price.

2c6d offsuit is a trash hand with poor playability out of position against a raise and a call; folding is clearly correct despite the pot odds.

On the flop with 9-8 high and no pair, checking is free and keeps the pot small; there is no bet to call, so checking to see the turn is the best option.

Opponent checked on a dry paired board, indicating weakness; a continuation bet of 300 into 600 can win the pot immediately with ace-high.

I have only a 7-high straight draw with four outs against a 300-chip raise into a 900 pot, and the paired board makes the aggressor's range strong, so folding is the disciplined choice.

Four-six offsuit is a weak hand, and calling 100 into a 150 pot with poor playability isn't worth the investment from the button.

Button folded, I'm in the SB with A4o heads-up against the BB. Any ace is a standard raise in this spot; raising to 3bb takes initiative and often wins the blinds outright.

KJ offsuit is a decent hand to defend the big blind against a small blind steal. 3-betting to 600 puts pressure and can take down the pot preflop or play heads-up with initiative.

Facing a small 3-bet (600 vs my 300) with A4o in position-less SB vs BB; pot odds are 300 to win 900 (25%) which is decent, but A4o plays poorly out of position against a 3-bet range. Still, the 3-bet is only 2x my raise, giving 3:1 odds, so a call is marginally acceptable with an ace blocker and nut-flush/wheel potential being absent... calling to see a flop cheaply.

Out of position vs the 3-bettor with a double gutshot (2 or 6) plus an ace overcard on 3-7-5; checking lets the aggressor c-bet so I can continue or check-raise as a semi-bluff with strong equity.

I have two overcards and range advantage after my preflop 3-bet; a small c-bet can fold unpaired overs and take down the pot or set up future aggression.

Holding A4 on 3-7-5 gives an open-ended straight draw (any 2 or 6) plus a possible ace overcard; facing a 1/3-pot c-bet we need ~20% equity and have well over 30%, so calling is clearly profitable while keeping the pot manageable against a 3-bettor's strong range.

Out of position with a double gutshot (any 2 or 6) and ace-high on a paired board versus a preflop 3-bettor who c-bet; checking keeps the pot controlled and lets me realize equity or evaluate a bet with 8 outs.

We have king-high with no draws on a paired board. Opponent called both our 3-bet and flop bet, indicating strength, so a bluff is unlikely to succeed. Checking gives us a free chance to improve on the river.

Missed wheel draw with ace-high; villain's turn check after 3-betting and c-betting signals a capped/giving-up range like AK/AQ/AJ that beats us at showdown but folds to a sizable river bet on this paired, straight-possible board.

King-high with no draw on a paired, connected board; opponent's large river bet indicates value, and my hand beats only pure bluffs, making this a fold given the pot odds.