Hold'em table

AJo is a strong button opening hand three-handed. I raise to apply pressure and build value against weaker blinds.

KTo plays well against a wide 3-handed button open, but calling out of position with the big blind still to act is poor. A 3-bet to 10.5bb takes the initiative and folds out the big blind.

A 10.5bb three-bet against a button open makes calling out of position with 7-6 offsuit unprofitable.

AJo is strong enough to defend the button open against this small-blind 3-bet, especially with position. Calling retains dominated aces and bluffs while avoiding an inflated preflop pot.

Top pair on a dry K-high board fits our 3-bet range well, so a small c-bet gets value from pocket pairs and weaker Kx while denying equity. It also keeps the pot manageable out of position.

Call the small continuation bet with two overcards to the board's low cards, an ace blocker, and backdoor diamond potential. Folding this much equity versus a quarter-pot sizing is too tight.

Top pair with a mediocre kicker, out of position, is vulnerable to the many better Kx hands in the caller's range. Checking controls the pot and still lets me bluff-catch against draws and weaker hands.

The turn check after a small flop continuation creates a credible opportunity to apply pressure on this disconnected board. The ace blocker improves the bluffing profile against some missed high-card and pocket-pair holdings.

Top pair with a weak kicker is a bluff-catcher here. Calling 1800 into a 7300 pot needs only about 25% equity, and the button's delayed stab after my check includes enough draws and bluffs. Raising would only get called by better hands.

Top pair with a weak kicker on a board where a 5 completes the straight is a bluff-catcher. Villain's calling range after the turn bet is full of better kings and straights, so checking controls the pot.

Shoving maximizes fold equity after the river completes the obvious five-straight texture. Our turn lead credibly represents A5 or a made straight, while ace-high has no showdown value.

I need about 32% equity to call 6400 into 13700. The river shove after a check line looks polarized, and missed spade draws are plausible bluffs, so top pair is a reasonable bluff-catcher here.

J2 offsuit is too weak to open profitably from the button in 3-handed play against two blinds with 100bb stacks. Folding is the standard play.

With the button folded, K5 offsuit is strong enough to raise heads-up against the big blind. A modest raise applies pressure without committing too many chips out of position.

Q4 offsuit is too weak to defend out of position against a small-blind raise.

A8 offsuit is a profitable button open three-handed. A 2.5 big blind raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

J4 suited is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button open with the big blind still behind.

KTs in the big blind against a button 2.5x open is a clear defend: we get good pot odds (150 to win 400), and the hand plays well postflop. A 3-bet is also possible, but calling keeps the button's weaker hands in the pot.

The low connected 5-4-3 board favors my big-blind calling range somewhat, but K-high with a backdoor diamond draw has little showdown value and poor equity when called. Checking to the button's likely c-bet keeps the pot small, and I can decide whether to continue once I see the bet size.

This low, connected flop favors the big blind's defending range. With ace-high and a gutshot, I can take a free card in position rather than build the pot.

The turn completes a lot of straights that fit a big-blind calling range, and the button's flop check-back suggests weakness. King-high has little showdown value, so a half-pot stab should fold out overcard hands and weak holdings.

The small turn bet gives me a reasonable price to draw to an eight-high straight, with some chance my ace is good. Calling keeps the pot manageable in position.

King-high has almost no showdown value on this connected, paired board. A bet of about 60% pot represents the 2s and 7s in my range and can fold out the weak pairs and overcards that a player who checked back the flop often holds.

Ace-high is a weak bluff-catcher on this connected, paired board. The turn and river bets represent enough stronger hands that calling 700 is unlikely to be profitable.

QTs suited is a strong button opening hand in three-handed play. Raising to 3bb applies pressure and builds the pot with good equity.

J3 offsuit is too weak to continue from the small blind against a 3x button open, especially with the big blind still to act behind me.

K3 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a 3x button raise, so I’ll avoid committing more chips.

Q5s from the button in 3-handed play is a standard open; raising to 2.5bb puts pressure on both blinds.

K9 suited plays well as a three-bet against a likely wide button open. Raising also pressures the big blind and avoids playing out of position in a multiway pot.

7-high offsuit is far too weak to continue facing a large squeeze out of position.

Q5s is too weak to call a large SB 3-bet to 10.5bb, even with position and 800 to call into a 2200 pot. The SB's range is strong and this hand plays poorly against it.

On the button in a three-handed game, 9-6 offsuit is marginal but playable as a small open. A minimum raise risks little while giving me a chance to win the blinds.

KQ offsuit is a strong three-handed blind-vs-button hand. I 3-bet for value and to deny the big blind a cheap entry.

J7s facing a button min-raise and a small-blind 3-bet to 7bb, with the button still left to act, is too weak to continue profitably out of position. Folding is the clear choice.

Nine-six offsuit plays poorly against a substantial out-of-position three-bet. Calling another 500 chips is unlikely to be profitable.