Hold'em table

J8o is a playable button open in three-handed poker with position, so I raise to 2.5bb rather than limp or fold a hand that can take the pot down preflop.

A♠? ATo is strong enough to defend the small blind against a button raise, but calling avoids inflating the pot out of position with a hand that can be dominated by a 3-bet caller.

Holding 72o out of position against a raise and a call is an easy fold despite decent pot odds.

A-high has some showdown value and backdoor flush potential, but the flop favors the preflop raiser. I check and keep the pot controlled out of position.

I have top pair on a dry board and the small blind checked, so a small value bet builds the pot while keeping worse jacks and draws in.

The small bet offers favorable pot odds, and ace-high retains useful overcard equity against the button’s wide betting range. Calling keeps weaker bluffs in while avoiding an unnecessary raise with no made hand.

With ace-high and no meaningful draw, a turn bet is unlikely to get better hands to fold after the flop bet-call. I’ll check and preserve the chance to reach showdown cheaply.

I have top pair on a paired board and the opponent has checked twice, so a half-pot value bet extracts chips from worse jacks, draws, and floats.

A-high can still beat missed overcard bluffs, and the turn bet gives reasonable pot odds. Raising would only isolate me against stronger hands, so I’ll call and reassess on the river.

I have a useful showdown hand, but a river value bet is unlikely to get called by many worse hands after the ace arrived. Checking avoids value-owning myself against a better ace or a slow-play.

I have Jacks and fives with showdown value, but after the opponent called flop and turn, a river bet mostly gets called by Aces, trips, and full houses that beat me. Checking realizes my equity without bloating the pot.

J-3 offsuit is weak, but on the button three-handed it is a reasonable steal attempt. A small open keeps pressure on the blinds without risking too much.

Holding 32o out of position against a button open is an easy fold.

A8o is playable enough to defend the big blind against a button min-raise in a three-handed pot; calling 150 into 400 keeps the price reasonable without bloating the pot out of position.

Ace-high with no pair or draw on a paired flop is too weak to lead, and checking is free against the preflop raiser.

A small continuation bet can pressure the big blind’s checked range on this paired flop. I also have a jack overcard and a backdoor spade flush draw if called.

Ace-high with no pair or draw on a paired 9-9-T board is too weak to continue against a flop bet. Folding avoids putting more chips in with little equity.

J4o is too weak to open even from the button in a 3-handed game.

Q6o is too weak to complete or open from the small blind out of position after the button folds. Folding avoids a dominated, poorly playable hand.

J8 offsuit is too weak to open from the button in a three-handed game; folding avoids playing a dominated hand.

K♦3♥ is too weak for a raise, but completing costs only 50 chips into a 150-chip pot. Call and see the flop rather than surrender the small blind.

I have 96s in position after the small blind limped; checking gives me a free flop with decent suited playability.

Semi-bluff with a strong heart flush draw and some overcard equity; a modest flop bet can also fold out the big blind’s unpaired hands.

I flopped two pair on a wet, draw-heavy board and need to raise for value and protection against draws and one-pair hands.

I have only king-high with no meaningful draw, and the raise makes continuing too costly.

J9 offsuit is a reasonable button open in a three-handed game; a small raise applies pressure while keeping weaker hands in the pot.

Ten-eight suited has solid playability and pot odds facing a 2.5bb button open, so calling from the small blind is standard.

J5o is too weak to continue multiway out of position against a raise and a call; the price does not compensate for poor equity and domination risk.

We flopped top pair on a paired board from out of position; checking to the preflop aggressor is standard to control the pot.

Make a small continuation bet into the 600-chip pot: the paired board favors my preflop raising range, and J-9 has a gutshot to a straight. This can fold out overcards while keeping the cost modest if called.

I have top two pair (eights and sevens) on a paired board and the button is making a small continuation bet of one-third pot, making calling an easy and profitable continuation.

We hold top two pair with a gutshot on a coordinated board, so checking out of position to control the pot size is standard.

Bet 350 as a semi-bluff after the turn check: the connected board gives me an eight-out straight draw, and the bet may fold out hands that currently beat my jack-high. I can give up if called and miss.

We hold top two pair with a gutshot straight draw and are getting excellent pot odds (350 to win 1350) facing a small turn bet.

I have medium showdown value with two pair (8s and 7s) and checking out of position to see villain's action is standard.

I have only a weak pair from the board, but my J-9 can still beat some missed draws. After my opponent called two streets, a river bluff is unlikely to get enough better hands to fold, so I’ll take the showdown.

83s is too weak to open from the button even in 3-handed play, making fold the best decision.

Nine-five offsuit is too weak to continue out of position after the button folds, so I fold rather than call or raise.