Hold'em table

J9 offsuit is a reasonable button open three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds pressures the blinds while retaining positional advantage if called.

J6 suited is too weak to continue out of position from the small blind against a button raise, with the big blind still to act and poor postflop realization.

KTs is a playable hand from the big blind versus a button raise; calling keeps the pot manageable and allows us to see a flop in position relatively.

I have King-high with a backdoor straight draw on a disconnected flop. Given my opponent raised preflop and is in position, checking is prudent to see how they proceed before committing more chips.

Bet half pot for value from weaker pairs and straight draws while denying equity to overcards. Top pair with a jack kicker is strong enough to bet against the big blind's wide calling range.

KhTh has only overcards and backdoor draws on a dry board, and calling out of position with poor equity realization is marginal; folding preserves stack for better spots.

K6o is playable on the button in 3-handed play; raising in position pressures the blinds and gives fold equity plus initiative.

Holding Q4s out of position against a button raise is too weak to call or re-raise; better to preserve stack.

Calling costs 150 to contest a 550-chip pot, a favorable price against a button opening range. A4 suited has sufficient equity and nut-flush potential to defend without inflating the pot out of position.

Top pair with a gutshot and backdoor nut-flush draw is a strong hand to check and usually continue against a bet. Checking keeps the button's weaker hands and bluffs in while avoiding unnecessarily building a pot out of position.

In position as preflop raiser after the big blind checks, bet half pot as a semi-bluff with a gutshot to the straight and a king overcard on a low board that likely missed much of his defending range.

Top pair with an ace kicker, a gutshot, and a backdoor nut-flush draw comfortably justify calling the half-pot bet. Calling keeps weaker hands and bluffs in while avoiding inflating the pot against overpairs and stronger made hands.

Our pair of fours with an ace kicker and gutshot has showdown value, but the queen favors the preflop raiser's range. Checking keeps weaker hands in and lets us reassess against their bet size.

Semi-bluff on turn with spade flush draw plus gutshot to the straight and an overcard; opponent's check shows weakness and a bet gives fold equity plus 13 outs if called.

My pair can still beat unpaired barrels, and I have a gutshot plus potential trips or two-pair outs against stronger pairs. Getting 2.57-to-1, calling preserves that equity without inflating the pot against the opponent’s value range.

Our pair of fours has some showdown value but is unlikely to get called by worse after two barrels. Checking avoids turning it into an unnecessary bluff and lets us evaluate any river bet.

Our pair of sixes has showdown value against missed spade and straight draws that called the turn, while a river bluff would need top-pair hands to fold very often after calling two streets.

A4o is a playable hand from the button in 3-handed; raising to 250 applies pressure and allows me to take down the blinds or play in position postflop.

Seven-three offsuit is too weak to defend against a button raise from the small blind, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids investing more chips with poor equity and positional disadvantage.

J8 suited has good equity and playability heads-up against a wide button open, and calling 150 into 400 offers a favorable price to defend the big blind.

With jack-high and only backdoor club and straight draws on a paired queen board, checking keeps the pot controlled and avoids bluffing into the preflop raiser's range.

With A4o on a paired queen-high board, I have almost no equity and no draw. Checking behind is prudent to avoid a potential check-raise from a trapped queen, while keeping the pot small and allowing a free card to improve or bluff later.

Semi-bluff with the club flush draw on a paired board after a checked flop; a turn bet can fold Ace-high and small pairs while retaining equity if called.

I have just Ace-high with no pair and no draw, and the board is paired with queens. My opponent's turn bet represents a queen or a strong hand, and I have only about 6% chance to hit an Ace on the river, which may not even be good. Folding preserves my stack for better opportunities.

A3 offsuit is a profitable button open three-handed, with position and an ace blocker. Raising to 2.5 big blinds pressures the blinds without committing too much with a weak kicker.

K6 offsuit is too weak to call out of position from the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still behind, and it is not strong enough to 3-bet except as a marginal blocker bluff.

6h2h is too weak to defend from the big blind against a button raise, even with pot odds; folding preserves chips for better spots.

Q7 offsuit is within a wide 3-handed button opening range and raising gives fold equity plus initiative in position.

K2s is too weak to call a raise from the small blind out of position; folding preserves my stack for better spots.

Calling costs 150 to contest a 550-chip pot, requiring 27.3% equity. Against a typical wide button opening range, 97 offsuit is a reasonable big-blind defense at this price with no rake.

I have an open-ended straight draw and a backdoor heart draw, but the king-high flop favors the preflop raiser. Checking keeps the pot controlled out of position and preserves the option to call or semi-bluff against a bet.

Q-high with only weak backdoor straight potential has little equity when called on K-8-6 two-heart board. Checking in position takes a free card and avoids bluffing into a BB calling range with many Kx, pairs, and draws that will continue.

I turned the nut straight and should build the pot against kings, tens, and draws. Betting about three-quarters pot extracts value while charging hands that could improve on the river.

Queen-high with only a gutshot to a nine has far less than the ~30% equity needed to call 425 into 975 against a turn lead, so folding preserves chips.

T4o is a weak hand with little potential, and folding avoids risking chips from the button.

Q8 suited is strong enough to open blind versus blind. Raising to 3 big blinds pressures the big blind while retaining good playability when called.

K4 offsuit has poor playability and is dominated by better kings and aces against a 3bb small-blind raise; calling 200 out of the big blind is marginally negative despite being in position postflop.