Hold'em table

T-3 offsuit is too weak to enter from the button against the blinds; folding avoids investing with a dominated hand.

With the button folded, Q5 offsuit is worth completing the small blind at 3-to-1 pot odds. Calling keeps the pot small with a marginal hand that will play out of position.

64o is too weak to raise for value, and the small blind has only completed, so I take the free flop rather than inflate the pot.

Middle pair has showdown value but is too weak to build a large pot out of position. Checking keeps weaker hands in and allows us to assess the big blind's action.

I have bottom pair with a weak kicker and no bet to face, so checking keeps the pot small and realizes equity without bloating it.

My pair of fives has some showdown value, but this coordinated turn offers little value from betting. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids building it against stronger pairs and draws.

I have only a weak pair of fours and can see the river for free after seat 2 checked the turn, so there is no reason to fold or inflate the pot.

Our pair of fives has some showdown value, but a bet is unlikely to get called by worse on this river. Checking avoids turning a marginal made hand into a bluff against the big blind’s wide range.

Pair of fours has some showdown value in a checked-down pot, but it is too weak to bet for value and not worth turning into a bluff.

Pocket queens are a premium hand three-handed. Opening to 2.5 big blinds builds the pot for value while retaining calls from weaker hands and leveraging button position.

3s8s is too weak to continue out of position against a button open to 2.5bb; folding preserves chips.

K6 offsuit is a reasonable big-blind defend against a button open, and the price is favorable. Calling keeps the pot manageable with a hand that has limited value for a 3-bet.

With only king-high and no immediate draw, betting into the preflop raiser has little value. Check and preserve the option to continue if the turn improves the hand.

Bet for value with the overpair against Jx, Tx, and draws. This sizing charges the many straight and flush draws on this coordinated board.

K-high has no pair or meaningful draw on this coordinated flop, so calling the sizable raise would require too much equity.

42 offsuit is the worst starting hand and I am first to act, so folding avoids putting chips in with no equity advantage.

K8 offsuit is a reasonable hand to complete heads-up from the small blind, and calling preserves the pot with favorable odds.

With 4-3 offsuit, taking the free flop is preferable to building a pot with a weak hand. Checking preserves chips while retaining a chance to improve.

K-high has no made hand on a connected Q-9-6 flop, and checking keeps the pot small while retaining some backdoor straight potential.

With almost no showdown value, I use a half-pot bluff against the small blind's checked range. The bet needs immediate folds only one-third of the time to break even before accounting for any future equity.

Call the small one-third-pot bet with a king-high hand that has an overcard and backdoor straight and flush potential, getting a reasonable price to continue.

I have only king-high with a gutshot to a straight and no strong made hand. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me realize the draw without risking a bluff into the caller.

I have no pair or viable straight or flush draw, and the turn improves several hands in the opponent's flop-calling range. Checking avoids investing more in a low-equity bluff.

K-high has some showdown value against missed draws, while a river bet is unlikely to fold many made hands. Check and avoid risking chips when no worse hands are likely to call.

Four-high has virtually no showdown value, making this a suitable river bluff. A three-quarter-pot bet pressures missed draws and weak pairs after the opponent checked twice.

King-high has no meaningful showdown value on this river, and calling 300 into the pot risks chips against a likely made hand or bluff that I cannot beat.

On the button three-handed, a small open can win the blinds immediately and retains positional advantage if called. J3 offsuit is weak, so I keep the raise modest.

J5 suited is too weak to defend profitably from the small blind against a 2.5bb raise, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids playing a frequently dominated hand out of position.

96o is too weak to continue out of position against a button raise; the price does not compensate for poor equity and playability.

95 offsuit is too weak to open profitably against two blinds without evidence they overfold. Folding avoids investing chips with poor connectivity and limited postflop potential.

J4 offsuit is too weak to complete from the small blind heads-up against the big blind; folding the extra 50 is the higher-EV play.

74 suited is too weak to open from the button for a full big blind against two live blinds, so folding preserves chips.

With one opponent left, 55 is strong enough to raise for value and deny equity against the big blind’s wide range. A raise to 300 is a standard blind-versus-blind size.

J6 offsuit is a weak, frequently dominated hand against a 3bb raise. Without evidence that the small blind opens excessively wide, folding is preferable to a marginal defense.