Hold'em table

J8 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed, and a small raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

Q2o is a weak offsuit hand that plays poorly against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids investing more chips out of position with a dominated holding.

Holding premium AKo in the big blind against a button open, raising to 900 for value and initiative.

J8 offsuit is too weak to continue against this large three-bet, even with position.

With AKo on the button, I have a premium starting hand and want to raise for value while taking initiative. A 3x raise to 300 applies pressure to the blinds and builds the pot with a strong hand.

7c 5d is a very weak offsuit hand out of position facing a 3x button open; folding is clearly optimal.

QJ offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button open, but calling avoids bloating the pot out of position.

I'm out of position against the preflop raiser with two overcards to the lower board cards but no made hand or immediate draw. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me respond to their bet.

I have top pair with top kicker on a draw-heavy board. Betting for value and to deny equity to flush and straight draws.

QJ has no pair or immediate draw on this flop. Facing a sizable bet out of position, calling is unlikely to be profitable.

95s is too weak to profitably open from the button, even three-handed.

Completing costs only 50 chips and 8-2 suited has enough potential against a random big blind hand. Raising would build a larger pot out of position with a weak hand.

With 8s3s in the big blind and no call required, checking keeps the pot small and sees a free flop against the small blind's limp.

With no pair or immediate draw on this flop, I’ll check rather than build the pot out of position.

I have a strong flush draw on a checked flop and can apply pressure as a semi-bluff while also building the pot for when I hit.

Eight-deuce has no pair or meaningful draw on this flop, so calling the bet is unlikely to be profitable.

54 offsuit is too weak to open from the button against two players at 100bb.

Getting 3:1 pot odds with a weak but playable hand; calling closes the action and allows us to see a cheap flop in position against the big blind.

We have a weak offsuit king in the big blind facing an SB limp; checking allows us to see a free flop in position.

My hand is very weak with no pair or strong draw, so I check to see a free turn and avoid investing chips into a wide big-blind range.

I have bottom pair with a decent kicker on a coordinated board; checking behind controls the pot and realizes equity.

With 4-high and no real draw on a coordinated board, checking keeps the pot small and avoids risking chips as a bluff into two live opponents.

I have bottom pair and an open-ended straight draw, so taking a free card in position realizes my equity with no risk.

My 4-high has no showdown value on this straight-heavy board, and a bluff would need too much fold equity against a range that often has a pair or straight. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me fold to any bet.

I have two pair, Kings and Deuces, but the four-card straight on board means any Ace or Nine has a straight. Checking back guarantees a cheap showdown with good showdown value.

Raising on the button with K7o applies pressure to the blinds and can win the pot immediately; the hand retains reasonable equity if called.

96 offsuit is far too weak to defend against a button raise from the small blind out of position.

A3 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a button raise, especially with the small blind's chips in the pot.

Top and bottom pair is strong enough to check to the preflop raiser and give their bluffs and weaker aces a chance to bet.

With K-high and an ace on the flop, I have little equity and no need to bluff into a preflop caller; checking behind controls the pot and realizes my weak showdown value.

Aces full of threes is strong enough to start building the pot. A moderate bet can get calls from weaker aces, pocket pairs, and diamond draws.

I have only king-high on a paired ace board and no draw; facing a turn bet after checking the flop, folding is the disciplined play.

Opening from the button with A8o is standard in 3-handed play to apply pressure and leverage position.

K3 suited can serve as a three-bet bluff against a button open: the king blocks strong calling hands, and raising avoids a difficult multiway pot from the small blind.

K7o is a weak offsuit hand facing a button open and a small-blind three-bet, so continuing would be too loose. Folding avoids putting in 850 more chips with a dominated, low-equity holding.

A8o is heavily dominated by the SB's 3-bet range and does not realize sufficient equity postflop to justify calling 700 chips.