Hold'em table

On the button in a three-handed game, 7-6 offsuit is playable as a small open-raise, with position after the flop.

A7o plays poorly out of position from the small blind against a button open with the big blind still behind.

A8 suited-ace offsuit in the big blind against a button min-open of 2.5bb; I get 400 in the pot for 150 (about 27% equity needed), so calling is profitable and a 3-bet bluff is unnecessary.

Ace-high with a king on a paired K-K-6 board; I act first heads-up against a button raiser who has position. A small bet of about half pot gets value from worse kings-less hands like 6x and pocket pairs under kings, and it denies equity to overcards and draws.

Bottom pair has enough value to call this small flop bet in position, while raising would isolate me against stronger hands.

Ace-high with a pair of kings on board; I bet the flop and got called by the button. My hand has little showdown value beyond the ace kicker and doesn't beat much that calls, so I'll check and control the pot.

My pair of sixes has showdown value, but a turn bet is unlikely to get many worse hands to call. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me evaluate the river.

With ace-high playing the board's kings, I have marginal showdown value. Any pair or better ace beats me and worse hands rarely call, so I check to keep the pot small.

My six has showdown value, but the river completes the heart flush and a bet is unlikely to get called often enough by worse hands.

J4o is too weak to open profitably even from the button in 3-handed play.

J4 offsuit is a weak hand from the small blind and plays poorly out of position. Even though the price is only 50 to call, folding is the disciplined choice.

8-6 offsuit is a weak hand, and I would be out of position after the flop against two opponents. Calling 100 into a 150 pot has poor long-term value, so I fold.

With the button folded, calling 50 more to play heads-up offers a cheap opportunity despite a weak hand.

I have a weak offsuit J5 in the big blind facing a small blind limp, so checking to see a free flop is the standard play.

Bottom pair and a gutshot give me some showdown value, but not enough to build a pot out of position. I’ll check and reassess if the big blind bets.

We have bottom pair with a weak kicker on a connected flop; checking behind controls the pot size and lets us realize equity.

My pair of fives has some showdown value, but the three-club board and possible straights make a value bet thin. Checking keeps the pot small.

I have third pair on a very wet and coordinated board (four to a straight, three clubs). Checking behind keeps the pot small and lets me see a river for free.

My pair of fives has some showdown value, but the board offers too many straights, flushes, and better pairs to justify a river bet.

I have modest showdown value with a pair of fives on a board with four to a straight and three clubs. Betting rarely gets called by worse, so checking back is optimal.

KQs is a strong button hand three-handed, so I open-raise for value and position.

K2o is far too weak to defend out of position against a button open with the big blind left to act.

Q5 offsuit is weak and out of position against a button open. Calling 150 to win 400 is tempting on pot odds, but the hand plays poorly postflop and folding is the simplest choice.

Pocket threes on the button in 3-handed play is an open-raising hand to steal blinds or flop a set in position.

6h Td is a weak offsuit hand out of position in the small blind, facing a button raise to 200 with the big blind still to act behind. Calling 150 more would play a poor hand out of position, so folding is best.

QTo is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button min-raise, especially with the small blind's chips already in the pot.

I have top pair with a moderate kicker, but I’m out of position against the preflop raiser. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me evaluate their action.

Checking back with our small pocket pair to control the pot size and realize equity with position.

Top pair is likely ahead after the flop checked through. A 300-chip bet gets value from weaker pairs and draws while charging them to see the river.

I hold a weak fourth pair with very little equity or improvement potential against a 2/3 pot turn bet.

4-2 offsuit is the worst starting hand; on the button facing a 100 call with two players still to act behind, folding is best to avoid losing chips postflop.

With 7-3 offsuit, the small blind would have to play out of position against the big blind. The discounted call is still unlikely to be profitable.