Hold'em table

QJo is a strong button hand in a three-handed game, so I open-raise to build the pot and apply pressure to the blinds.

T6o is too weak to continue out of position against a button raise, so I fold and preserve chips.

KJo is a solid defend versus a button min-raise and has enough equity to continue for the favorable price. Calling keeps weaker hands and bluffs in while avoiding an inflated out-of-position pot.

Check this marginal king-high hand on a connected flop, retaining showdown value and avoiding building a pot out of position.

This low, connected flop favors the big blind’s calling range, and my overcards have little backup equity. I’ll take the free card rather than bluff into a board that can hit their range.

The checked turn lets me apply pressure on a highly coordinated board, and the king of spades blocks some strong flush draws and made flushes.

The call is close on pot odds with a flush draw and some chance my overcards are live. Raising risks inflating the pot against a turn lead on a coordinated board.

My king-high flush is exceptionally strong on this four-spade board, with only an ace-high flush beating it. A substantial value bet can be called by many smaller flushes.

The J-high flush is a strong bluff-catcher and can beat lower flushes or bluffs, but raising risks value-owning myself against a higher spade. I’ll call the river bet.

T5s is a marginal but playable button hand; a small raise applies pressure and gains initiative with position.

A3 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button open, especially with the big blind still behind.

Calling is worthwhile at the price with the big blind discount and a hand that can make disguised straights. Raising 6-5 offsuit would be too loose, especially out of position.

With 6-high and no meaningful draw on an ace-paired flop, I have little value in betting; checking keeps the pot small and allows me to realize any runner-runner equity.

The paired-ace flop does not connect with my T-high hand, and checking behind controls the pot while keeping position for later streets.

With 6-high and no meaningful draw on this paired board, a turn bluff has little value; check and keep the pot small.

The board is double-paired and my Td5d has no showdown value; checking controls the pot and avoids bluffing into an opponent who called preflop and could hold an ace or queen.

The river board is double-paired, so my 6-5 can still win if the opponent has only low cards. Betting would mainly fold hands I already beat and risk chips against better kickers or a trap.

With T kicker on a double-paired board, our hand has showdown value against many worse unpaired hands and small pairs; betting would only fold worse and get called by better.

K7 offsuit is strong enough to open-raise on the button three-handed and leverage position.

A♥8♥ is a playable suited hand against a button raise, but calling keeps weaker hands in and avoids inflating the pot out of position with the big blind still to act.

43o is too weak to call a button raise and small blind call from the big blind; folding avoids playing a dominated, low-equity hand out of position.

With ace-high and only backdoor heart equity, checking preserves the pot and lets the preflop raiser act. I can reassess if they bet.

Check back with marginal king-high showdown value on a board that connects well with the caller's range, avoiding a low-equity continuation bet.

With ace-high and no meaningful draw, checking preserves showdown value against missed overcards and avoids investing into a likely pair on this connected board.

A modest turn stab can fold out unpaired overcards and other missed hands after the flop checks. My king-high has little showdown value, so I use position to apply pressure.

Ace-high has little showdown value here and no meaningful draw; the turn bet requires too much equity to call. I fold rather than invest further against a likely made hand.

3-2 offsuit is far too weak to continue from the button, even in a three-handed pot.

With the button out, 87o is strong enough to attack the big blind and take the initiative rather than just complete. A raise to 250 applies pressure and can win the pot immediately.

A-K offsuit is a premium hand heads-up against a small-blind steal raise. A 3-bet builds value and pressures weaker opening ranges.

87o is too weak to continue against a big blind 3-bet, and calling out of position with a dominated hand is unprofitable.

K2s is marginal, but opening from the button in a 3-handed game applies pressure on the blinds and takes initiative.

A4 offsuit is too weak to profitably defend from the small blind versus a 3x button open with the big blind still behind.

T3 offsuit is too weak to defend against a 3x button raise, especially out of position. Although the call price is reasonable, the hand has poor playability postflop.

J8 suited is a playable button opening hand three-handed, with position and postflop equity. I raise to apply pressure to the blinds.

5♥4♣ is a weak offsuit hand and I would be out of position against a button raise with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids investing more from the small blind.

KJs is strong enough to 3-bet for value and initiative against a button open; calling is fine, but raising applies pressure and builds a pot with a hand that flops well.

J8 suited is too weak to continue profitably against a 7.5bb three-bet after opening.