Hold'em table

With position on a three-handed table, 8-7 offsuit is a reasonable button open. A 2.5-big-blind raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

35s is too weak to continue out of position against a button open, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids a dominated, low-equity spot.

Defending Queen-eight suited from the big blind getting excellent pot odds against a button open.

I flopped top pair with a modest kicker out of position, making a standard check to the preflop aggressor the best way to pot control and induce bets from bluffs.

A small continuation bet applies pressure while giving me a useful open-ended straight draw and backdoor flush potential if called.

I hold top pair on a draw-heavy board facing a small continuation bet of about one-third pot. Calling is standard to control the pot size and keep the opponent's bluffing range in play.

Turned trips with Qc 8c; checking to the flop aggressor to let them continue bluffing or bet worse value hands.

I have no made hand or meaningful draw on the paired board. Checking takes a free river rather than bluffing into a range that can continue with a queen or a pocket pair.

I have trip queens and seat 1 showed weakness by checking back the turn. A bet of around half the pot can extract value from missed draws turned into bluffs, pairs, or an opportunistic ten.

I have only 8-high with no completed draw, so calling the river bet is not justified.

54o is too weak to call or open from the button for a full big blind, even three-handed. Folding avoids a negative-EV spot out of position postflop.

J3o is too weak to complete or raise from the small blind out of position.

J4o is too weak to open raise on the button even in 3-handed play.

Suited 8-6 has reasonable playability heads-up, and the small-blind price is favorable. I’ll call and see the flop.

Button folded and the small blind only completed, so I can see a free flop with suited connectors. No need to inflate the pot out of position with a marginal hand.

I have a strong combo draw with a flush draw and straight potential, so a modest flop bet can win the pot now while building it when called.

98s has no pair and no draw on 5-3-2, so calling 140 does not have enough equity against a flop bet.

As the button in a three-handed game, A-Q is a strong open. Raise to 300 to build the pot while applying pressure to the blinds.

Defending the big blind with a suited connector getting good pot odds against a button open.

I missed this ace-high flop completely with seven-high and out of position, making a standard check the only reasonable play.

I have top pair with a strong kicker on a relatively dry board. A modest value bet can get called by weaker aces and 9x while charging hands with equity.

We completely missed this flop with seven-high and no real draws or backdoor equity facing a continuation bet.

63 offsuit is too weak to open even on the button; folding avoids putting chips in with a dominated, unconnected hand.

97 offsuit is too weak to complete or raise from the small blind out of position.

Open-raising with an Ace on the button in 3-handed play to attack the blinds and leverage positional advantage.

K3 offsuit is too weak to continue against the button's raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

A9o is a standard big-blind defend versus a button min-raise in three-handed play; calling 125 into 375 is better than folding or bloating the pot with a dominated ace.

I have top pair with the ace kicker on a dry flop, so I bet about 40% pot for value and protection while keeping the pot manageable out of position.

Holding an overcard and a gutshot to the nut wheel, getting 3.5-to-1 direct pot odds with position against a small donk lead.

I have nines and fives with an ace kicker, a solid showdown hand, but I am out of position on a paired board where many hands that called the flop (overpairs) are now ahead. Checking controls the pot and lets me realize my equity rather than building a pot against a stronger continuing range.

We have Ace-high with a gutshot straight draw; checking behind allows us to see a free river card and realize equity in position.

I have nines and fives with an ace kicker on a paired board. A small river bet gets value from worse nines and medium pairs while keeping the pot manageable if they have trips.

I hold a five-high straight on a paired board with Ad4h. While strong, higher hands including 6-high straights and full houses are possible, so calling villain's river bet captures showdown value safely without risking a raise against superior holdings.