Hold'em table

Q8o on the button in 3-handed play is a standard open-raise; a 2.5bb open pressures the blinds.

A3 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind versus a button raise with the big blind still behind.

62 offsuit is too weak to continue against the button raise, especially out of position with poor playability.

T3 offsuit is too weak to profitably enter against both blinds at these stack depths.

AQ is strong against the big blind's random hand, so I raise to take initiative and build the pot while denying a cheap flop.

Getting 3:1 in position against a wide small-blind steal, 75o has enough equity and playability to defend by calling.

C-betting with two overcards to take down the pot; this low board misses much of the opponent's calling range.

Middle pair plus a gutshot to the straight is getting 3:1 odds against a half-pot c-bet, which is an easy call. Raising would mostly fold out worse hands and get called by better ones.

Top pair with top kicker is strong on this turn, so I bet for value and to charge draws.

Bottom pair with only a gutshot to the 8 is too weak to call 800 into a 2000 pot against a double barrel. The call needs about 29% equity and we have well below that.

A3s is strong enough to raise from the button and put pressure on the blinds; a 3x open should take down the pot often or give me position postflop.

Q9o from the small blind facing a 3x button open, with the big blind still to act, is dominated often and plays poorly out of position. Folding is the standard play.

9c7d is a playable suited-like connected hand only in structure, but as an offsuit hand it is marginal; the pot odds and heads-up blind defense justify calling the small raise.

Middle pair has showdown value but is not strong enough to build a pot into the preflop raiser. Checking keeps weaker hands and bluffs available while controlling the pot.

Top pair with a weak kicker is strong enough to bet for value and protection against overcards on this dry board. A half-pot bet puts pressure on weaker hands and denies free cards.

Call with middle pair getting favorable pot odds against a small continuation bet. Raising would mostly isolate against stronger aces or better made hands.

With a marginal pair of nines on an ace-queen board, checking keeps the pot controlled and allows me to react to the preflop raiser's turn action.

I have two pair and can make a thin value bet against worse sevens, nines, and some sticky queen holdings. A modest sizing limits losses when called by stronger ace-heavy hands.

On the button three-handed, K2o sits near the bottom of a wide opening range. Only the blinds are left to act, so a small steal to 2.5bb is profitable.

Pocket eights are strong enough to 3-bet from the small blind against a button open. Raising to 9bb applies pressure while building value and reducing multiway play.

A2o is a weak hand out of position facing a raise and a re-raise, and calling 800 more is unlikely to be profitable. Folding preserves chips for better spots.

K2o opened on the button faces a 3-bet from the small blind. Calling 650 out of position-disadvantaged ranges is dominated too often, so folding is best.

T9 suited is a strong, playable button opening hand in three-handed play. Raising applies pressure to the blinds and builds the pot with good positional equity.

52s is too weak to continue out of position against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding preserves chips for better spots.

K9o in the big blind against a 2.5bb button open is getting 150 to win 400, which is plenty of equity to defend by calling. It is too weak to 3-bet for value.

K-high with a backdoor flush draw on a paired board, out of position against the preflop raiser. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me realize equity; I can check-call a small c-bet or fold to pressure.

This paired, connected flop favors the big blind's defending range, while our two overcards have modest showdown value and can improve on later streets. Checking keeps the pot controlled and realizes equity.

The ace is a strong turn barrel card after the checked flop, and we retain an open-ended straight draw if called. A medium sizing pressures unpaired holdings while preserving efficient bluff equity.

I have a club flush draw plus a king overcard, and I need about 28% equity to call a small bet. Implied odds on the river and the chance that my king is sometimes good against a delayed bluff make calling better than folding or raising.

King high has a little showdown value against missed bluffs, and a river bluff isn't credible enough against a range that bet the ace turn. Checking to take a free showdown is the lowest-risk line.

The river ace is a strong scare card after my turn bet and can pressure many 6x holdings and missed draws that checked to me. A moderate-large bluff targets those hands while risking less than an all-in.

King-high with no pair has almost no showdown value against a turn-and-river betting line on this paired board. It beats only a few busted draws, not enough to justify calling for 29% pot odds.

JTs is a strong hand on the button, so I raise to take initiative and pressure the blinds.

Q2o from the small blind facing a button open to 3bb, with the big blind still to act, is a clear fold. It plays poorly out of position and is dominated often.

K2 offsuit is too weak to defend against a button 3x open out of position, especially with no postflop positional advantage.