Hold'em table

With a suited connector on the button in a 3-handed game, raising applies pressure on the blinds and builds a pot with position. I can fold to a reraise and otherwise play a disguised hand postflop.

K2o is far too weak to defend out of position against a button open with the big blind still to act.

J8 suited is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button open, and calling avoids inflating the pot out of position.

On this dry paired flop, checking out of position with jack-high avoids building a pot with a weak hand.

With 4-high and no made hand or strong draw on a paired board, checking back controls the pot and avoids bluffing into a caller who could have a nine or pair.

After the preflop raiser checked back the flop, a turn bet can fold out some better unpaired hands and deny equity to weaker overcards.

I have two pair (nines and fives) with position. The opponent's half-pot turn bet can be a bluff or a worse pair, so calling controls the pot while avoiding a raise into possible trips.

J-high has little showdown value. A 900-chip river bluff can fold out the overcards and weak pairs that called the small turn bet.

Opening from the button with A9s is standard in 3-handed play to build the pot in position.

T2 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

J9o has enough equity against a button open in a 3-handed game, and I only need to call 150 into a 400 pot. Calling closes the action and keeps the pot manageable out of position.

I have top pair with a vulnerable kicker on a draw-heavy flop, so I bet for value and protection against the button's wide preflop range.

With only ace-high and weak backdoor draws facing a substantial donk bet on a wet Q-J-7 board, folding is the disciplined, plus-EV play.

J9 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed, and a 2.5 big blind raise puts pressure on the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

Q5o is a weak, dominated hand out of position against a button raise. Folding avoids playing a marginal hand with poor equity and reverse implied odds.

Holding 64o in the big blind out of position against a button 2.5x open is an easy fold due to poor equity and playability.

K8o on the button is a reasonable open in a 3-handed game; raising applies pressure on the blinds and takes initiative with position.

42s is too weak to defend out of position against a 3bb button open with the big blind still to act.

Pocket threes are worth defending from the big blind against a button raise. Calling keeps the pot manageable while offering a chance to flop a set.

Pocket threes are a weak underpair on this flop, and checking avoids building a pot out of position.

With king-high and no pair or strong draw on a queen-high flop, checking behind in position preserves chips and takes a free turn card rather than bluffing into a caller.

Pocket threes have little showdown value on this high-card turn, but betting is unlikely to fold out enough better hands. Checking keeps the pot small and preserves the option to respond to a bet.

I have top pair with Kings on a checked-through turn. Betting for value and to deny equity to draws like flush or straight possibilities.

Pocket threes are an underpair on a king-queen-high turn with no meaningful draw. Calling 400 is unlikely to be profitable against this betting range.

On the button in 3-handed play, K7s is a standard open-raise for value and position.

A8 suited is strong enough to 3-bet against a button open, and raising avoids playing a multiway pot out of position.

QJo is a marginal offsuit broadway facing a large 3-bet from the small blind after a button open; calling 8bb out of position risks domination, and 4-betting with this hand is too speculative.

K7s is a standard open on the button, but facing a 4x 3-bet from the small blind, it does not have enough equity or playability to justify calling.

A7 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed. A 2.5-big-blind raise pressures the blinds while keeping the investment modest.

Pocket fours has good set-mining implied odds against a button open, and calling 200 closes the action cheaply with two opponents likely to pay off if I flop a set.

Getting 4 to 1 immediate pot odds closing the action preflop with suited ace A6d is a very clear and profitable call.

With an underpair to a J-high and K-high flop in a multiway pot, I prefer checking to control the pot and see how opponents act rather than betting into likely stronger ranges.

Check to the preflop aggressor in position with Ace-high and no direct draw on a coordinated board.

Ace-seven has little immediate equity on this coordinated flop, and a bluff is less likely to work against two opponents. I’ll take the free card in position.

With pocket fours on a J-K-3-9 board and two overcards, my hand has weak showdown value and no meaningful draw. I will check and evaluate the remaining streets rather than bloat the pot out of position.

I have Ace-high with no draw on a coordinated board; checking behind seat 1 to see a free river is the standard play.

Ace-high has some showdown value, but betting into two opponents on this board is unlikely to get enough better hands to fold.

All opponents checked through flop and turn, indicating weak ranges; my pair of fours has little showdown value against any pair, so a bet of 500 can fold out better weak pairs and missed draws to win the pot.

I hold only Ace-high on an uncoordinated river board after checking through the flop and turn, and facing a 500-chip bet with another player behind me makes folding an easy decision.

A pair of sevens is a weak bluff-catcher against a river bet into two opponents. The price is not attractive enough to call without a stronger read.