Hold'em table

9-4 offsuit on the button in a 3-handed game is a clear fold; it is far below any reasonable opening range and has poor playability.

Button folded, so this is effectively heads-up. K6o is strong enough to raise for initiative and pressure the big blind rather than just call out of position.

Suited connectors are a reasonable defense against a small-blind open, especially with position and 100bb effective stacks. Calling preserves their postflop potential without unnecessarily inflating the pot.

K-high with no pair on a coordinated board; checking controls the pot and lets me evaluate the turn without risking chips with a weak hand out of position.

With almost no showdown value, this is a useful low-cost bluff after the small blind checks. The backdoor club and straight possibilities provide some opportunities to continue if called.

K high with no draw on a dry board, out of position, facing a bet from a player who called my preflop raise. Folding to avoid losing more chips with a weak hand.

With 65s on the button, I have position and decent implied odds; a raise can take the blinds or isolate and give me initiative.

Pocket eights are strong enough to three-bet against a button opening range. Raising to four times the open pressures the big blind to fold and compensates for playing out of position.

4-3 offsuit facing a 3-bet to 1200 with the original raiser still to act is a trivial fold from the big blind.

My 6h5s is too weak to continue against a large 3-bet from the small blind, especially with only 900 to call but poor implied odds and likely domination.

75 suited is a reasonable button open three-handed, with position and good postflop playability. Raising to 2.5 big blinds pressures the blinds while keeping the investment modest.

T2 suited is a weak hand out of position in the small blind facing a button raise; folding avoids playing a dominated hand with poor playability.

Button's open range is wide in 3-handed play, and calling 150 into a 400 pot gives good pot odds with J6o despite being out of position.

I flopped two pair (jacks and sixes) and want to build the pot while charging draws on a coordinated board.

We have only seven-high, a gutshot, and a backdoor flush draw against a substantial flop bet. Calling requires about 30% equity, and our weak draw does not justify continuing without evidence that the opponent is overbluffing.

45 offsuit on the button in a 3-handed game with 100bb stacks is below a reasonable opening range; folding avoids playing a weak hand out of position postflop against two unknown opponents.

With a suited connector and the button folded, I raise to apply pressure and take initiative against the big blind, while still having a playable hand if called.

K4 offsuit is strong enough to defend against a small-blind open with position and no rake. Calling costs 200 into a 400 pot, while a raise would unnecessarily inflate the pot with a marginal hand.

My 6s7s missed this paired flop and has little equity; checking keeps the pot small and lets me see a free turn.

King-high has some showdown value on this dry paired board, but a bet is unlikely to get called by worse. Checking preserves that value and lets us reassess the turn in position.

I have 7-high with only a gutshot; checking controls the pot and lets me see a free river.

King-high retains some showdown value against the small blind’s twice-checked range, but a bet mostly folds worse hands. Checking takes a free river without inflating the pot with a weak hand and no meaningful draw.

Weak showdown value with a pair of deuces on board; checking avoids getting raised off the pot and allows us to see a free showdown.

King-high retains showdown value against missed unpaired hands after three checks. Betting would mostly fold worse hands, while we lack a heart blocker to support a bluff against stronger holdings.

AJ offsuit is a strong button hand in a 3-handed game, so I raise for value and to take initiative.

KQo is strong enough to three-bet against a button open and blocks several premium hands. Raising to 1200 pressures the big blind to fold and compensates for playing out of position.

9c4c is far too weak to face a 3-bet out of position with 1100 to call into a 4x raise; easy fold.

Calling 900 with AJo in position and deep stacks; folding is too tight against a possible small-blind 3-bet, and 4-betting would only get action from stronger hands.

Top pair with a strong kicker is a good value bet on this board, where my three-betting range has an advantage. A small sizing can get calls from weaker kings, pocket pairs, and heart draws without overinflating the pot.

Getting over 5:1 on a call with A-high and a backdoor straight draw; villain's small flop bet may be a weak continuation bet, so calling is profitable.

The third heart completes flush draws, and my top pair has no heart blocker or flush redraw. Checking controls the pot and keeps weaker hands and potential bluffs in the opponent's range.

I have only ace-high with no flush or straight draw, so checking controls the pot and lets me realize equity with overcards.

KQ retains showdown value, but the river ace and completed heart flush make a value bet too thin. Checking keeps the pot controlled and allows weaker hands to bluff.

I have top pair with a good kicker. Opponent checked turn and river, so I bet for value.

KQ is now a bluff-catcher, and the river ace improves several plausible flop floats while completed flushes remain possible. Calling needs about 25% equity, and there are too few natural bluffs to justify it without an aggressive read.

Nine-six offsuit is below a standard button opening range with two players left to act. Without evidence that the blinds overfold, folding avoids a marginal steal with poor postflop playability.

Button folded, so it's SB vs BB heads-up; 64 suited is a reasonable steal/open hand against one opponent, so I raise to 3bb rather than limp.

With 2h3c out of position and facing a small-blind raise, this hand is too weak to continue profitably. Folding avoids putting more chips in with a dominated, low-equity holding.