Hold'em table

AQo is a strong hand from the small blind against one remaining opponent, so raising to 300 builds the pot and takes initiative over calling.

In the big blind facing a 3x small-blind raise, I'm getting 2:1 on a call. T7 suited plays well in position against a wide SB range, so calling beats folding or 3-betting.

I have ace-high with a Broadway backdoor draw on a T-5-J board, and checking keeps the pot small while I see whether the other seats show strength.

Second pair in position after the preflop raiser checked. A small bet gets value from worse tens, fives and draws, and denies equity to overcards on a wet board.

I have an open-ended straight draw (Q with the T and J on board) plus ace-high, and calling 200 into an 800 pot gives good pot odds for the draw.

I have no made pair but hold an open-ended straight draw with Q-J-T-9 on the board, so I'll check to see the turn action and keep the pot manageable.

Middle pair with a weak kicker and a gutshot on a wet board; checking controls the pot, keeps our showdown value, and takes a free card at the straight.

We hold a pair of aces on a non-paired board, which is a medium-strength showdown hand, and checking keeps the pot small while avoiding bloating it against a possibly stronger hand.

Second pair with a weak kicker has some showdown value on a scary board. Betting would only get called by better hands, such as Ax, Jx, flushes and straights, so I check back and take the free showdown.

From the button I can complete for only 100 chips against two blinds, and 7-4 suited has enough playability to justify this cheap price in position.

Getting 5:1 to complete in a limped pot. 43o can play multiway cheaply but carefully out of position, and the BB can still raise behind.

2d9d is a weak hand in the big blind with a free option available; checking keeps the pot small and avoids investing chips with a marginal holding.

I'm out of position in a three-way limped pot with nothing on a TTT board. A bet would rarely fold out the overcard hands that beat my 4-high, so checking is best.

I hold 2d9d on a tripled Ts board with no pair or draw; betting has no value and folding is unnecessary since checking is free.

Our 7-4 has no pair and the board is paired tens, so we have little showdown value. Checking is free with no bet to call, so we take the free card rather than bet a weak hand.

With 43 on a TTTJ board, I am effectively playing the board with a 4 kicker, and almost any card above a 4 beats me. A bluff into two opponents is unlikely to fold out enough hands, so I check and keep the pot small.

I hold trip tens with the 9d kicker (actually quads are impossible; I have T-T-T plus 9). I'll bet tiny to induce a call or raise from J-x hands rather than checking back.

The board is Ts Td Tc Jd and I hold 7c 4c, so I have no pair and no real showdown value against a turn bet that could easily be trips or better. Folding is correct.

With 4-high on a TTT-J board, we are effectively playing the board and lose to almost any card above a 4. Bluffing a small-stakes pot isn't worth it, since the bettor likely holds a high card.

Q7s on the button in 3-handed play is a clear opening hand. Raising to 2.5bb puts pressure on the blinds.

A4 offsuit is a weak hand facing a 2.5x raise out of position; folding is the profitable play.

Facing a 150-chip call into a 400-chip pot from the button, 7-T suited has enough playability and the price is good, so calling is better than folding or raising out of position.

I have a king-high flush on a three-diamond board, so I'm betting for value to build the pot while the opponent may still call with a weaker hand.

Q7 without a diamond on a monotone K-Q-2 board is weak against a big-blind lead, which is likely to be weighted toward flushes, Kx and strong diamond draws. The 28% pot odds aren't met, and we'd face hard decisions on later streets.

Completing the 50-chip small blind is cheap with the button already folded, and Q-9 offisuit has enough playability to see a flop heads-up against the big blind.

85s plays well in a limped pot when in position against the small blind, so I'll take the free flop. Raising has little fold equity against a limp and would bloat the pot with a marginal hand.

Top pair with a queen kicker-free 9 side card is a solid value hand heads-up against a checking big blind, so betting about two-thirds pot builds the pot and charges weaker pairs and draws.

Eight-high with only a backdoor flush draw has too little equity to call 150 into 350 out of position against a bet on a Q-J board. A bluff-raise is not well supported here either, so I fold.

Ace-jack suited is a strong button hand in a 3-handed game, so I raise to build the pot and take initiative rather than just calling.

KJo is well ahead of a wide 3-handed button opening range. A 3-bet from the small blind takes the initiative and avoids playing out of position against two opponents.

Q4o is far too weak to call 1000 more against a 3-bet from two opponents; folding is clearly best.

Ace-jack offsuit is strong enough to continue against a 3-bet, and calling 800 into a 2300 pot needs only about 35% equity while keeping position after the flop.

As the preflop 3-bettor I have a range advantage with overpairs on this low board, so a small c-bet with two overcards and a backdoor spade draw can take the pot down or set up later barrels. At 750 into 2300 it is cheap.

Ace-high with no pair or strong draw on a 3-7-8 board, facing a 750 flop bet after a preflop 3-bet from seat_3, so this hand is likely behind and folding is the better choice.

A4o is a standard open from the button in 3-handed play, since only the two blinds are left to act. A 2.5bb raise takes initiative and puts pressure on the blinds.

A7o has decent equity against a 2.5x button raise; calling 200 more in position-ish spot is better than folding, and 3-betting is too loose with a weak kicker.

Facing a 150-chip call into a 600-chip pot (4:1), and with a multiway pot, calling with 6-T offsuit from the big blind is a reasonable price to see a flop.

I have ace-high only with no draw; checking is free and avoids bloating the pot out of position.

I hold a pair of tens with a weak kicker on a dry board, so checking keeps the pot small and lets me see the button's action without bloating the pot.

I'm the preflop raiser on the button and both opponents checked to me. I have the nut flush draw blocker with Ac, plus backdoor equity and an overcard, so a small 1/3-pot c-bet should take it down often and keeps my equity when called.$

Ace-high with backdoor equity is too strong to fold for 250 into 1000, but not worth raising into the preflop raiser. Call and reassess on later streets.

I hold a pair of tens, which is top pair on this board with a nine kicker, and the pot odds of 250 to win 1250 make calling a reasonable price without raising into two opponents.

I only have ace-high with a gutshot (6 or J); checking is free and I can fold to further aggression.

I hold a pair of tens with a gutshot straight draw on a three-club board, so checking keeps the pot controlled and avoids bloating it out of position.

I hold the nut flush draw with no made hand. With two opponents on a very coordinated board where made straights and flushes are likely, a semi-bluff is unlikely to get both to fold, so I'll take the free river card.

I hold ace-high only on a scary board with two opponents who showed flop strength; checking is free and avoids losing more with a weak showdown hand.

I hold a pair of tens with no good way to improve, so checking keeps the pot small and lets me take a showdown with my marginal hand.

Ace-high has some showdown value against missed draws. A multiway bluff into two players who called the flop, likely holding pairs, is unlikely to get both to fold.