Hold'em table

7-8 offsuit on the button in a 3-handed game is a playable hand at a cheap price. Calling 100 to see a flop with position is better than folding or bloating the pot with a raise.

T5o is too weak to complete the small blind, even with attractive pot odds, due to poor playability out of position.

With pocket threes out of position against a button limp, I can see the flop for free rather than build a larger pot with a weak pair.

My small pair has limited value on this ace-high flop. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids building it out of position.

Heads-up on an ace-high flop after the big blind checked. I have 7-8 with a gutshot and a backdoor draw, so a small stab can take the pot when they miss, and it costs little if they call or raise.

Pocket threes are a weak underpair on this ace-high, two-heart flop. Calling out of position has little upside, and raising risks running into an ace or a draw that continues.

Opening JTo from the button is standard in 3-handed play to apply pressure and play in position.

9-6 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

K5o in the big blind getting 400 into 150 (about 27% equity needed) against a button open of 2.5bb, which is a wide range. K5o has roughly 40% equity against that range, so calling is fine even though I will be out of position.

I have king-high with a backdoor-free 5d on a paired Q-J-J board. That is weak and only beats a bluff, and I'm out of position against the preflop raiser, so I check and keep the pot small.

Flopped trips on a board with straight and flush draws; betting small extracts value from draws and Qx while building the pot.

King-high with a backdoor-free board of QJJ has some showdown value and a K blocker to straight draws. The price is 200 to win 750, about 21% equity needed, so calling is reasonable against a button c-bet range that includes many bluffs.

Ks high on a Q-J-J-A board has almost no showdown value against a range that called preflop and bet the flop. Checking is safer than bluffing into a button who could easily have a queen, an ace, or a jack.

I have three of a kind Jacks with a gutshot to broadway on a wet board. Checking behind controls the pot and lets me realize equity safely against straights or check-raises.

My hand plays as jacks with an ace-king-queen kicker, which is a marginal showdown hand. A bet would mostly get called only by better hands and fold out worse ones, so I check.

We hold trips with an Ace kicker on a relatively clean river runout. Betting around half pot allows us to get called by weaker pairs like Ax or Qx.

Board Qd Jh Jd Ah 2c gives me K-high with a Broadway straight draw that missed. The pot is 1450 and I must call 500, so I need about 26% equity. The button bet small after checking the turn, which could be a value bet or a bluff. My K-high does beat pure bluffs, and the price is decent, so I call.

On the button in a three-handed pot, 6-5 offsuit is playable as a small open raise. Position and its straight potential make raising preferable to limping.

A7 offsuit is a decent hand three-handed, but the button's raise and the big blind still to act make a 3-bet marginal. Calling 200 more gets a good price at 400 pot odds, though folding is close; I'll take a flop.

K2o has terrible playability multiway out of position, making it an easy fold despite getting good pot odds.

Ace-high on a wet Jd 5d 4c board, first to act heads-up. A small bet takes a stab at the pot with backdoor outs.

Middle pair has enough equity to call the small flop bet in position. I can reassess if the turn brings more pressure.

I have ace-high with a backdoor-less board of 5d Jd 4c 5c. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me realize some equity, since the button called my flop bet and likely has a Jack or a pair.

Trips are strong against Jx and drawing hands. Betting 850 builds the pot while charging flush draws to continue.

Ace-high on a paired 5-J-4-5 board is weak; facing an 850 bet into 1200 needs about 29% equity, and the button's turn raise after a flop call likely represents a jack or better. Folding is the safer play.

Q8s on the button in a 3-handed game is a reasonable, playable hand, and calling 100 to win a 250 pot gives a good price. A raise is marginal, so I take the cheap flop with position.

Completing from the small blind with J9s getting 5:1 pot odds to see a flop.

T2 offsuit is too weak to raise for value, and checking lets me see a free flop.

I have a gutshot straight draw and backdoor flush draw out of position; checking is standard here.

I have no pair or immediate draw on this multiway flop. Checking avoids investing chips in a low-equity hand.

Both opponents checked the A-3-K flop, so a small bet with a backdoor flush draw and a queen (gutshot to Broadway) can take the pot or get folds from weak hands. Sizing at 200 into 300 keeps the risk small.

I completely missed this Ace-King heavy flop with Jack-high and no strong draws, so folding to the bet is an easy decision.

T-high has little equity on this dry A-K-3 flop, and calling out of position against the button's bet is unlikely to be profitable.

Q7o on the button is slightly too weak to open profitably, making fold the standard play.

Heads-up against the big blind, Q7 offsuit is strong enough to open from the small blind. A 2.5-big-blind raise puts pressure on the blind without committing much of the stack.

5s9d is weak offsuit; the small blind raised to 250 and I'd need to call 150 more out of position with a poor hand, so I'll fold.

K5 suited is a profitable button open three-handed, and a 2.5 BB raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

Q8s out of position in the small blind facing a button open with the big blind still to act is a marginal, dominated hand. Calling 200 more to play out of position three-handed is unprofitable, and a bluff 3-bet has little value, so I fold.

Getting attractive pot odds to defend the big blind with a suited ace against a button open.

Check to the in-position preflop raiser with bottom pair and top kicker to control the pot.

Top pair is likely ahead of the big blind’s calling range. A small bet gets value from weaker pairs while protecting against overcards and draws.

We have bottom pair with top kicker facing a small c-bet of roughly 36% pot, giving us excellent pot odds to continue.

I have two pair with Kings overcard on board, which has mediocre showdown value out of position; checking to control the pot.

My king has a weak kicker, and the paired nine makes a large pot unattractive. Checking keeps weaker hands in and avoids paying extra against a nine or a better king.

I have modest showdown value with two pair, nines and threes with an ace kicker. Checking is standard to reach showdown cheaply or evaluate facing a river bet.

Top pair can get thin value from smaller pairs and 3x after the opponent checked both the turn and river. A small bet limits the cost when they have a nine or a stronger king.

Villain bets small on the river after checking back the turn; getting over 5-to-1 pot odds, two pair with an ace kicker is a clear call against potential missed broadway floats.