Hold'em table

8-3 suited is too weak to open from the button with both blinds still to act.

K9o is a solid raising hand in a blind-vs-blind spot. A 3x open puts pressure on the big blind while keeping the pot manageable out of position.

JTs is a strong, well-connected defending hand versus a small blind raise heads-up, with good playability postflop.

This low, connected flop favors the big blind's calling range. King-high with no draw is a weak c-bet candidate out of position, so I'll check and keep the pot small.

A small continuation-style stab can fold out unpaired overcards while retaining equity through our gutshot and two overcards.

Getting about 3.4:1 against a small stab on a board that is likely to be bet by a wide range, so K-high with an overcard and a backdoor spade draw has enough equity to continue.

K-high with only a gutshot (a 4 makes a straight) on a heart-heavy turn, out of position against a flop bettor; checking to realize equity cheaply is best.

I bet the turn after the opponent checks to apply pressure on their capped range and retain fold equity with a gutshot straight draw.

K-high with no pair and no real draw on a three-heart, low, connected board facing a turn bet after calling the flop. The pot odds do not justify continuing.

JTs on the button in 3-handed play is a clear open-raise; 2.5bb puts pressure on the blinds.

A5 offsuit is too weak to defend profitably against a button open from the small blind in this configuration.

Against a button raise, 9-8 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind at this price, especially with the small blind's chips in the pot.

With middle pair out of position against the preflop raiser, I prefer to check and see their flop action.

On a low board, JTd has overcards plus a backdoor straight draw, so a small c-bet as the preflop raiser has good fold equity against the big blind's check. A third-pot bet of 180 into 550 keeps the bluff cheap.

Middle pair with a decent kicker is strong enough to continue against a small button continuation bet, but raising would overplay it.

I have a modest pair and a weak flush draw on a turn that may favor the preflop raiser. Checking controls the pot and lets me evaluate their bet.

With no pair and no spade on a three-spade board, a bluff has poor fold equity against a check-calling range that likely holds many spades. Checking back takes a free card to my gutshot and keeps the pot small.

My pair of eights has some showdown value, but the three-spade board makes a value bet too thin. I’ll check and evaluate a bet if one comes.

Jack-high has almost no showdown value, and this four-flush, four-straight board lets me represent strong hands against a capped check-check range. A 600 bet only needs to work about 40% of the time.

The turn check leaves plenty of missed overcards and draws in the button’s range. My pair of eights needs to win about 28% of the time against this river bet, making a call reasonable.

Pocket nines are a strong button opening hand three-handed. I raise for value and to take initiative.

87 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a 3x button raise with the big blind still to act.

A small pair in the big blind against a button 3x open. We're getting 200 to win 650, and with 100bb deep the implied odds make set-mining a profitable call.

A small pair on a low connected board plays best as a check to the preflop raiser for pot control, and I can call a small c-bet. Leading doesn't fold out much and gets raised by better hands.

Betting the overpair for value and protection on this low, fairly dry board.

Getting about 3.9:1 on a dry, rainbow low board, the small pair has enough showdown value and equity against a wide button c-bet range to continue. Calling keeps their bluffs in and controls the pot size.

Small pair facing a button c-bet line; the Qc is an overcard that's bad for my hand, so I'll check and decide based on the size of any bet. I'm not betting into a range that mostly beats me.

I have a medium-strength overpair to the flop and should value-bet while charging club and straight draws. The opponent's check-call then turn check leaves many weaker pairs and draws available.

Pocket threes are a weak underpair on a Q-8-6-2 board, and a second barrel on the queen turn is likely weighted toward value. My hand has poor equity against that range and faces reverse implied odds on the river, so I'll fold despite the decent price.

A3 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed. A standard-sized raise pressures the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

KTo plays well as a 3-bet against a wide three-handed button open, and flatting out of position with the big blind still to act is weak. Raising to 1000 takes the initiative and can win the pot preflop.

K6 offsuit is too weak to defend against a large 10bb small-blind 3-bet after an open, especially with the opener still behind.

A3 offsuit plays poorly against a large 3-bet, even in position. Folding avoids a costly, dominated spot.

QJo on the button in 3-handed play is a clear open-raise; 2.5bb puts pressure on the blinds.

2c3s is a very weak offsuit hand facing an open raise from the small blind, with the big blind still to act. Folding preserves chips.

6-3 offsuit is too weak to defend out of position against a 2.5 big blind raise.

9-6 offsuit is a weak button hand in this short-handed spot and does not justify entering without prior reads.

With the button folded, Q7 offsuit is playable heads-up. A modest raise pressures the big blind without committing much of my stack.

Getting 150 to win 350 in position vs a wide SB steal range, Qs4s suited has enough equity and playability to defend by calling.

Top pair with a decent kicker on a dry flop can bet small for value and protection against overcards.

Middle pair with a queen kicker on a dry 2-4-7 board facing a small c-bet (180 into 500); we're getting good odds and our hand has solid showdown value against the SB's wide 3-bet range. Calling keeps their bluffs in, and raising would mostly fold out worse hands.

My middle pair has showdown value, but betting the turn out of position risks building a pot against stronger hands. I’ll check and reassess if the big blind bets.

Middle pair with a weak kicker has showdown value, and the SB has checked the turn after c-betting. A check keeps the pot small and realizes equity, while betting would mostly fold out worse hands and get called by better ones.

My pair of sevens has showdown value, but a river bet is unlikely to get called by enough worse hands. Checking also avoids building the pot against tens and completed straights.

Our pair of fours has showdown value against the overcards that check twice. A bet would mostly fold out worse hands and get called by better ones, so checking to showdown is best.