Hold'em table

Q8 offsuit is strong enough to open from the button three-handed. A 2.5-big-blind raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

J7 offsuit is a marginal small-blind defend versus a button open, with the big blind still behind. Folding avoids difficult dominated postflop spots.

Getting 150 to win 400 (27% equity needed) versus a button open; Q3 suited has enough equity and playability to defend from the big blind.

Q-high with a gutshot (needs a J) on a board that favors the preflop raiser. Checking to the button keeps the pot small, and I can decide how to continue against a c-bet.

This board favors my preflop raising range, and a small bet applies pressure while keeping the cost low. My gutshot to Broadway gives me a chance to improve if called.

The small bet gives good pot odds. The call needs about 20% equity, and I have a gutshot to Broadway, a backdoor flush draw and some implied odds, so calling is better than folding.

Holding Q-high with a gutshot to the nut straight (a J makes Broadway), out of position against the preflop raiser on a board that favors his range. Checking gets a free card or a cheap look at his turn bet.

The turn changes little, and my gutshot has some river equity. Checking takes the free card rather than bluffing into a range that called the flop.

Queen-high has almost no showdown value, and the in-position player checked back the turn, which looks capped. A two-thirds pot bluff can fold out their weak pairs and missed draws, and my queen blocks QJ.

Queen-high has little showdown value, and the missed straight draw does not justify calling a 600-chip river bet.

T3 offsuit is too weak to open profitably in a three-handed game from the button under these stack conditions.

Blind vs blind with a playable suited-connector-ish hand; a 3x open from the SB is a standard, profitable steal attempt.

K7 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind against a small-blind raise, especially with position after the flop.

The A-K-5 rainbow board strongly favors my preflop-raising range, so a small one-third-pot c-bet works well at high frequency. My bottom pair also benefits from denying equity to BB's overcards and gutshots.

Second pair is strong enough to continue against a small flop bet. Raising would risk too much against an ace or a stronger king.

The board paired aces and villain called the flop bet on an A-K board, so my weak pair of fives has little value and would get called by better hands. Checking controls the pot and leaves room to bluff-catch or give up on the river.

K7 has showdown value on this paired board, but a bet is unlikely to get much value from worse hands. Checking controls the pot and leaves room to call a reasonable river bet.

A weak pair of fives has some showdown value against missed draws. Betting would mostly get called by Kx and Ax and fold out worse hands, so checking is better.

My two pair has showdown value, but a river bet is unlikely to get called by many worse hands. Checking avoids paying more against an ace or a king with a better kicker.

AJo on the button in a 3-handed game is a strong open, so I'm raising to 2.5bb for value and to take position.

K7 suited is strong enough to contest a button open three-handed. Raising from the small blind pressures the opener and discourages the big blind from entering cheaply.

T4 offsuit is far too weak to defend against a raise and a substantial reraise out of the big blind.

AJo plays well in position against a wide 3-handed small-blind 3-bet, and calling 750 into a 2100 pot is fine; 4-betting would fold out worse hands and isolate us against better ones.

As the preflop reraiser, I can make a small continuation bet on this paired queen-high flop. The king-high flush draw gives me equity when called.

The small c-bet gives us about 4.5-to-1 pot odds. Ace-high with overcard outs has enough equity against a 3-bet range that includes bluffs and AK/KQ-type hands to call once.

I have a king-high flush draw and can apply pressure to weaker pairs and floats on this turn. A 1,800-chip bet also builds the pot when a diamond river completes my draw.

Ace-high with no draw facing a 3-bettor's double barrel on a Q-high board is too far behind a range full of queens, pocket pairs and AK, and a river bet is still likely, so I fold.

6-4 offsuit is too weak to open from the button against two players.

KQs is a strong heads-up blind-versus-blind hand with good equity and playability. Raising builds value and applies pressure to the big blind.

KJs in the big blind facing a small-blind open to 3bb is well ahead of the SB's wide range and plays well in position, so calling is standard. A 3-bet is also possible, but calling keeps dominated hands in.

A small continuation bet applies pressure with two overcards while keeping the pot controlled on a board that can connect with the big blind.

KJ on 8-4-9 gives a gutshot to the ten plus two overcards, and we are getting 4:1 on a small bet (200 into 600). Calling keeps SB's range wide and lets us realize equity in position.

A substantial turn continuation bet credibly represents an overpair or strong made hand on this low board and can fold out unpaired overcards and some weak holdings.

King-high with no pair and no real draw on 8-4-9-3 facing a second barrel; roughly six non-clean outs don't justify calling for 27% pot odds.

Ten-nine suited is a strong, playable button opening hand in three-handed play. I raise for value and initiative.

84o out of the small blind facing a button open with the big blind left to act is a clear fold; it plays poorly out of position.

A4 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button open, but not strong enough to build a large pot out of position.

I have ace-high with no diamond on a coordinated flop. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me reassess after the button acts.

I have an open-ended straight draw with two overcard-adjacent ranks and can apply pressure after the check. A small continuation bet efficiently leverages my preflop initiative.

Ace-four high has no diamond and few strong ways to improve on this board. Facing a flop bet out of position, folding is preferable to continuing with such a weak hand.

J9o is a standard open from the button in 3-handed play; a 2.5x raise puts pressure on both blinds.

T4 suited is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still to act.

Defend the big blind versus the button's small 2.5bb open with suited ace-three, which has strong equity and playability heads-up.

Top pair with a weak kicker is worth protecting through pot control on this coordinated board. Checking keeps worse hands and bluffs available while avoiding an inflated pot.

The AKQ board favors my button opening range, and J9 has a gutshot to Broadway plus a backdoor spade draw. A small c-bet gets folds from weak hands and builds the pot while I have equity.

Top pair with top kicker is strong on this coordinated board and benefits from charging draws and worse Ax. Raising also builds value against weaker made hands.

A gutshot with only backdoor flush equity doesn't get the roughly 25% pot odds I need against a check-raise on AKQ. The implied odds aren't enough to make up the difference, since a ten also completes a straight for any jack.