Hold'em table

A6 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button in a three-handed game, and a 2.5-big-blind raise puts pressure on the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

A7o from the SB facing a wide 3-handed button open plays poorly as a call out of position but works well as a 3-bet: it blocks strong aces, folds out much of the button's range, and retains equity when called.

JTs is too weak to cold-call a 10bb squeeze-position 3-bet out of position, with the original raiser still left to act behind and able to 4-bet.

A6 offsuit is often dominated by a large small-blind 3-bet and plays poorly postflop, even in position.

K4o on the button 3-handed is a standard open given wide button ranges and positional advantage; raising to 2.5bb to take the blinds or play in position.

86o from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still to act behind, is too weak to call out of position or to 3-bet profitably.

32 suited plays poorly out of position against a button raise, and the price does not justify defending this weak hand.

Pocket aces on the button, first to act. A standard 2.5bb open builds the pot and keeps the blinds' weaker hands in.

J8 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

T4 offsuit is a weak, unplayable hand out of position against a button open; folding avoids losing chips postflop with poor equity and playability.

Q9 suited is strong enough to open on the button. Raising to 2.5 big blinds applies pressure while preserving position postflop.

K4 suited from the small blind facing a button open with the big blind still to act is a marginal hand that plays poorly out of position; folding is the standard play.

A8s in the big blind is well ahead of a wide button open in a 3-handed game and plays well as a 3-bet with a blocker. Calling is also fine, but a 3-bet to 10bb applies pressure and takes initiative.

Q9 suited has enough playability to call the 3-bet in position, especially with no rake.

The nut flush draw plus a gutshot and an overcard has strong equity, so I'm keeping the initiative with a c-bet of about 37% of the pot. I'm happy to get the money in if I'm raised.

The queen-high flush draw has enough equity to call this small flop bet. Calling also keeps the pot manageable in position against a preflop three-bettor.

We hold the nut flush; betting about two-thirds pot extracts value from sets, two pair, Kx, and smaller flushes or draws, and sets up a comfortable river shove.","table_message":""}

The queen-high flush is strong, but a raise could drive out worse hands and bluffs while getting called by the nut flush. Calling keeps those hands in and lets me act in position on the river.

The nut flush beats all of villain's flushes and bluff-catchers; only boats like 77, 44 and KK beat it. A large value bet just under all-in should get called by Q-high and J-high flushes.

My queen-high flush is strong enough to call: I need to win about a quarter of the time, and the river bet can come from worse hands or bluffs. Raising risks extra chips against higher flushes and full houses.

QJ suited on the button in a 3-handed game is a clear open-raise; standard 2.5x sizing to take initiative and build the pot in position.

T3 offsuit is too weak to call out of position from the small blind against a button open, with the big blind still left to act.

The button may be opening a wide range, and 7-6 offsuit has enough playability to defend the big blind at this price.

I have two pair on a relatively dry flop. Checking to the preflop raiser gives them a chance to bet, allowing me to raise for value.

Top pair with a queen kicker on a dry Jh6c7s board versus a big blind caller who checked; betting about 2/3 pot for value and protection against straight draws and overcards.

Bottom two pair is strong on this flop. Raising for value also charges straight draws and overcards.

Top pair with a queen kicker on a dry rainbow board is too strong to fold to a check-raise from the BB, whose range includes straight draws and worse Jx; calling keeps bluffs in and avoids bloating the pot against sets/two pair.

Two pair can still get value from Jx and draws. Betting also charges hands that picked up straight draws on the turn.

Top pair with Q kicker faces a large flop check-raise followed by a 62%-pot turn barrel on a 5 that completes 89/43/84 straights and 54 two pair; BB's range is heavily weighted to sets, two pair, and made straights, and calling likely commits me to another big river decision with a bluff-catcher that has roughly 5 or fewer outs against most value.

On the button 3-handed, 54s is a profitable open, and raising lets me pick up the blinds or play in position with a playable suited connector.

A2 offsuit has an ace blocker against a wide button opening range. A three-bet gives me a chance to win the pot preflop rather than play a weak ace out of position.

T3 suited is far too weak to continue facing a 3-bet to 950 with the original raiser still to act behind; easy fold from the big blind.

With 100bb stacks and position against the small blind's 3-bet, 54 suited has good implied odds. We are getting about 35% pot odds on the call, so calling beats folding or 4-bet bluffing.

With bottom pair on a two-club flop, I prefer to check rather than build a larger pot out of position.

Middle pair against a 3-bettor's range is mostly a bluff-catcher, so I'll check back in position to control the pot and realize equity. Betting would mainly fold out the unpaired overcards that I beat and get called by the overpairs that beat me.

Bottom pair is too weak to value-bet on this connected turn. Checking controls the pot and lets me respond to the opponent's bet size.

Third pair has showdown value against a 3-bettor who checked twice, which often means unpaired broadways. Checking back controls the pot and avoids getting raised off my equity by overpairs.

Bottom pair has some showdown value, but worse hands are unlikely to call a river bet. Checking avoids turning it into a bluff.

Our pair of fives has showdown value against missed big cards like AK and AQ. A bet would mostly get calls from hands that beat us, such as overpairs and better pairs, so checking is best.