Hold'em table

Q9 offsuit is a reasonable heads-up button-versus-blind raising hand. Raising to 300 applies pressure while keeping the sizing modest.

T8o has sufficient equity and playability in position postflop against a small-blind open, and calling 200 into 400 offers good pot odds for a big-blind defense.

I have a medium-strength pair with a weak kicker on a coordinated, two-diamond flop. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me respond to the big blind’s action.

With T-high and an open-ended straight draw (any K or 9), I have little showdown value but good semi-bluff equity. Opponent's check on this wet A-Q-J board suggests weakness, so betting can win the pot now or build it if called.

Second pair is strong enough to continue against a single 400-chip bet, with favorable pot odds and some draws in the opponent’s range. Raising would risk building a larger pot against stronger made hands.

I have a reasonable showdown hand with two pair on the paired-ace board, but the flop bettor’s call leaves plenty of Ax in their range. Checking avoids inflating the pot while keeping weaker hands and bluffs in.

I have only a gutshot to Broadway with a weak pair of Aces on a paired board. Checking takes a free river to realize my four King outs and avoids being called by Qx, Jx, Ax or draws that beat me.

I have a decent showdown hand with two pair, aces and queens, but a river bet is unlikely to get called by worse hands often enough; checking preserves its value at showdown.

I have only board pair of aces with a ten kicker, which loses to any king, pocket pair, or better, so checking likely loses. Opponent checked turn and river, making a full house unlikely, so a sizable river bluff representing trips can fold out kickers and small pairs.

I have two pair, aces and queens, and need to win only about 23% of the time to call. The river bet can include worse hands or bluffs, so folding would be too cautious.

T-3 offsuit is too weak to continue from the button facing the big blind; folding avoids investing chips with poor playability.

Blind versus blind, calling 50 into 150 gives good pot odds with 9-6 offsuit, which has enough equity against a wide big-blind range despite being out of position.

JTo is decent heads-up; I'm in position as BB with a limped pot, so a small raise builds pressure and can win it preflop or build a pot with a playable hand.

9-6 offsuit is weak facing a big blind raise to 300 after completing, and I would be out of position heads-up postflop.

Suited ace on the button in 3-handed play is well ahead of a wide opening range, so raise for value and initiative rather than limping.

K2o is a weak hand facing a 2.5x raise out of position; folding is clearly best.

8-4 offsuit is too weak to defend against a button raise, even with the pot odds. Folding avoids investing more out of position with poor playability.

AQo on the button is a strong raising hand; I'll raise to 3bb to build the pot and isolate.

Qh8h is a reasonable suited defend against a button open, and calling preserves a playable pot without bloating it out of position.

J7 offsuit is dominated and poorly playable out of position against a button raise and small blind call; the pot odds do not compensate for its low multiway equity.

Q-high has limited equity on this low, disconnected flop, and I have no meaningful draw beyond backdoor possibilities. I’ll check and avoid building the pot out of position.

I raised preflop with AQ and the flop is dry; a continuation bet of ~2/3 pot takes down the pot often and builds it when called.

The price is reasonable, and Q-high has two overcards plus backdoor flush and straight possibilities. Calling keeps the pot manageable while giving me a chance to improve on the turn.

I have only queen-high and no meaningful draw, so bluffing into the preflop raiser after the ace turns is unattractive. Check and take the free river.

I hold top two pair on the turn and was checked to; betting extracts value from weaker aces and draws.

Q-high has no meaningful draw on this turn, and calling 1,100 into a 2,800 pot requires too much equity. The ace is also a strong card for the aggressor's range.

As the button, I can open a wide range with position. A modest raise pressures the blinds while keeping the risk manageable with this suited hand.

AQ suited is a premium 3-handed hand facing a wide button raise; 3-betting from the small blind builds value, gains initiative, and denies the big blind cheap entry.

72o is dominated and facing a 3-bet with two active players; folding is clearly best.

6♣4♣ is too weak to continue against a sizable preflop 3-bet; calling would need substantial implied odds and a 4-bet bluff is not attractive with this hand.

JTo on the button in 3-handed play is strong enough to open-raise, gaining fold equity and initiative against the blinds.

K5 offsuit is too weak to defend against a 2.5x button raise out of position; folding is the profitable play.

2♥5♠ is a very weak offsuit hand against a button raise, and the price to continue is not worth it.