Hold'em table

Q8 offsuit on the button in a 3-handed pot is marginal, and it plays poorly out of position against two opponents when facing a call. Folding avoids a low-value spot, though a raise or call would also be defensible.

In a blind-versus-blind spot after the button folds, A3o has strong equity and playing aggressively by raising to 2.5bb applies pressure and captures initiative.

6-2 offsuit is a weak, disconnected hand. I’ll fold rather than defend against the small blind’s raise.

T3o is too weak to open even from the button in a 3-handed game. Folding is standard.

AQ offsuit is strong heads-up against the big blind, so I raise for value and to take the initiative despite being out of position.

7-5 offsuit is weak, and calling 250 to win 450 out of position against a small blind raise is unprofitable in the long run. Folding is the disciplined choice.

A3 suited is strong enough to open on the button in a three-handed game. A 2.5-big-blind raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

Q9 offsuit out of position from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still to act behind me, is a weak hand that plays poorly. Calling 200 more is unprofitable, so I fold.

97 offsuit is too weak to defend out of position against a 2.5x open.

K2 offsuit is a weak hand out of position against two players, so I fold rather than pay 100 to see a flop. Three-handed, the button could sometimes raise or call, but this hand plays poorly postflop and folding costs nothing.

Pocket eights in a blind-versus-blind confrontation is strong enough to raise for value and initiative.

A2 offsuit is strong enough to defend against a small-blind raise, especially with position after the flop. Calling keeps weaker hands in without inflating the pot.

Holding an underpair out of position on a two-broadway board, checking to control the pot size and realize showdown value is the preferred play.

Ace-high has some showdown value, and this flop favors the preflop raiser. Checking in position keeps the pot small and lets me reassess on the turn.

Holding an underpair to the two broadway cards on the board, checking preserves showdown value with minimal risk.

After the preflop raiser checked twice, a 400-chip bet can fold out hands that beat my ace-high while risking less than the pot.

Holding an underpair to the two broadway cards on a paired board out of position facing a two-thirds pot turn bet, with minimal redraws and reverse implied odds on the river.

Ten-nine suited is a prime open-raising hand on the button in 3-handed play; raising to 2.5bb applies pressure and takes the betting initiative.

Five-deuce suited is too weak to call a button raise from the small blind with the big blind still to act.

K9o in the big blind getting 400 to 150 (about 2.7-to-1) against a button open is a profitable call. Facing a 2.5x raise heads-up, the hand has enough equity and playability, and a 3-bet bluff is not warranted.

On a paired 6-7-7 board I hold king-high with a backdoor club draw, and I act first heads-up against a preflop raiser. A small bet of about half the pot can take the pot from ranges that missed, and it costs little if I get called or raised and have to fold.

I have an open gutshot to the nut straight along with backdoor flush equity and two overcards in position, getting 3-to-1 pot odds against a half-pot lead.

I hold king-high with a club draw blocker on a paired 6-7-7-A board. I raised the flop and was called, so the opponent likely has an ace or a pair. A check controls the pot size and keeps my showdown chances alive.

I have gutshot equity with Th9h and zero showdown value, but checking behind controls the pot and allows a free card to hit an eight or re-evaluate on the river.

King-high on a paired board with an ace is mostly showdown value at best. The opponent checked back the turn, so a small bet would mostly get called by worse hands that are rare or folded by better ones. Checking keeps the pot small and takes the free showdown.

We have zero showdown value with ten-high. The turn Ace and river blank favored the preflop raiser, and opponent's donk on the flop followed by two checks indicates weakness or a missed draw, making a bluff profitable.

I hold king-high with a 9 on a paired board (6c 7h 7c Ac 4d), so I only beat pure bluffs. The button checked the turn and then bet 700 into a 1100 pot on the river, which is about 39% of the pot after the call, so I need roughly 28% equity. I flopped a raise and then checked twice, which caps my range, and a value bet from the button is more likely than a bluff, so folding is better than calling.

J-T suited is a strong button opening hand three-handed, and a 2.5-big-blind raise builds the pot while preserving position.

Q2 offsuit is weak; out of position against a button raise with the big blind still to act, and calling 200 more is not worth it.

K2o is too weak to defend out of position against a 2.5x button open.