Hold'em table

On the button in a three-handed, rake-free game, Q3 offsuit is playable as a small open-raise. Raising gives me a chance to win the blinds while retaining position if called.

Getting 2:1 pot odds with a suited connector, I can call and see a flop, though out of position.

I have a suited connector in the big blind and am getting a favorable price to see a multiway flop.

I have 8-high with only a gutshot straight draw on a paired flop; checking is the safest play to see how opponents react.

I have a modest two pair on a paired board, but the pot is multiway and the button has yet to act. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids betting into stronger trips or better two-pair holdings.

With two opponents and little chance to improve, Q-high is too weak to bet for value. Checking avoids building a pot against trips or a pocket pair.

We have a pair and a gutshot on a paired board. Betting can fold out unpaired overcards and take down the pot, while building fold equity for later streets.

The turn bet into two players on a paired-ten board is likely value, and my small pair has poor equity against a ten or an eight. With another player still to act, calling is unattractive.

Queen-high has no meaningful draw on this paired board, and calling 400 is unlikely to be profitable against a turn bet.

K7o is a marginal hand but in position on the button, a min-raise can steal the blinds or build a pot with fold equity.

K4 offsuit is too weak to continue from the small blind against a button open, especially with the big blind still to act. Fold rather than pay to play out of position.

Calling 100 into a 350-chip pot is cheap against a button min-raise. T2 offsuit is weak, but the price and dead small blind make a defend reasonable.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker has some showdown value, but it is too weak to build the pot out of position. Checking keeps the pot manageable.

As the preflop raiser with position, I make a small continuation bet of 150 (into 450) to pressure the big blind who checked. My hand has no showdown value but the board is dry and I can represent a jack or overpair, hoping to take the pot down now.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker is unlikely to have enough equity to call this sizable flop bet out of position.

With a weak suited hand on the button, I’ll take the inexpensive limp and preserve position rather than build a pot with a marginal holding.

Completing for 50 chips gives a suited hand a cheap chance to see the flop against a button limp.

With 2d9s, a weak offsuit hand, I can see a free flop and preserve my stack for better opportunities.

With a low flush draw in a three-way pot, I prefer to check rather than build the pot out of position.

Betting half pot with middle pair for protection and thin value on a draw-heavy board after both opponents showed weakness preflop and the small blind checked.

I have no pair or meaningful draw on this flop, and the call price is too high for my limited backdoor chances.

The flush draw gives me enough equity to call this small flop bet, but raising with a weak draw out of position risks building a large pot.

I have a low flush draw but no made hand. Checking keeps the pot manageable while I look for a club on the river.

I have a weak pair of nines with a terrible kicker and the turn king is an overcard. Checking back controls the pot and lets me evaluate the river instead of value-owning myself against better hands.

My flush draw missed and six-high has almost no showdown value. After the turn checked through, a river bet can fold out some weak pairs and missed draws.

We have bottom pair with a weak kicker on a board where many hands beat us. The opponent called a flop bet and then bet the river after a blank turn, which often indicates a ten or king for value. Without reads, we don't have enough equity to call 500 into 1100.

K9 offsuit is a reasonable button open three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

4s6s is too weak to call out of position against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

I have a suited connector with decent multi-street potential and am getting favorable pot odds against the button raise. Calling keeps the pot manageable from out of position.

I have a strong combo draw with a flush draw and a gutshot, so a moderate semi-bluff can win the pot now while building it when I improve.

King-high has limited equity against a flop bet on this low, connected board. With only weak backdoor possibilities, calling 350 is unlikely to be profitable.

T8o is a playable hand on the button in 3-handed, raising to 2.5x to pressure the blinds and take initiative.

T8 offsuit is a weak hand facing a sizeable button raise with the big blind still to act. Calling out of position is unlikely to be profitable.

K4 suited has enough equity and playability to defend the big blind against a 2.5bb button open.

With king-high and little immediate drawing potential on an ace-high flop, I’ll check and avoid building the pot.

I have middle pair with a weak kicker on an Ace-high board. Checking back controls the pot and gives me a free card to improve, while avoiding getting raised off my marginal hand.

King-high has little showdown value, but no meaningful draw or strong reason to bluff into the preflop raiser on this turn.

I have second pair with a weak kicker on a board with an Ace and a flush draw. Betting folds out worse hands and gets called by better ones; checking behind controls the pot and allows me to realize my equity on the river.

King-high has little showdown value. After two checked streets, a river bet can represent a club and fold out better hands without one.

On the button three-handed, 9-7 offsuit is a reasonable steal-raise candidate; a modest open uses position and can win the blinds outright.

Q6 suited is a marginal hand to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

75o is a very weak hand out of position against a button raise; calling would likely be -EV, and 3-bet bluffing without reads is too risky.