Hold'em table

K2o is too weak to open even on the button in 3-handed play.

5-3 offsuit is a weak hand. Heads-up against the big blind, calling 50 more would leave me out of position with poor equity, and I'd rather give up the small blind than play a marginal pot.

T6 suited is a marginal hand out of position against two players who still have to act after me, so folding is the low-variance choice, though calling for 100 into a 150 pot would also be defensible.

J8 suited is strong enough to raise heads-up against the big blind, taking initiative rather than giving a free flop.

Calling from the big blind with pocket sevens in position against the small blind's open raise gives favorable pot odds and strong playability.

J-high has little equity on this dry flop, and the big blind's calling range can connect with the low cards. Checking avoids building the pot with a weak hand.

Flopped top set on a relatively dry board. Betting small to extract value from overpairs, pocket pairs, and straight draws.

J-high has no pair, immediate draw, or backdoor flush draw on this flop. Calling out of position against the bet is unlikely to realize enough equity.

J4 suited is playable from the button in a three-handed game. A small raise gives me a chance to win the blinds while retaining position if called.

Holding 8c 4s out of position against a button raise is an easy and standard fold.

A2s in the big blind facing a 2.5x button open with 2.5:1 pot odds is a comfortable call. The hand plays well heads-up in position disadvantage, and a 3-bet bluff is unnecessary.

Ace-high on a paired Q-7-Q board is likely ahead of a button raiser's wide range, and I'm first to act heads-up. A small bet takes the initiative, charges hands like king-high and small pairs, and folds out some hands that beat me; I can give up if raised.

The club flush draw gives me enough equity to call the small flop bet, and position lets me reassess on the turn. Raising risks building a large pot against a queen or a full house.

I hold ace-high on a Q-7-Q-K board, which has little showdown value against a opponent who called the flop. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me see the river cheaply; a bluff has poor equity here.

The turn king favors my preflop raising range, and the opponent's check suggests some weakness. Betting pressures marginal hands while my club draw gives me a chance to improve if called.

With only ace-high on a Q-7-Q-K board, I'm facing a 750 bet into a 1100 pot after checking. I need about 29% equity to call, and ace-high has little showdown value against the button's betting range, so I fold.

Opening from the button with T9o to steal blinds and utilize position postflop.

AKo is a premium hand in 3-handed play. Raising from the small blind against a button open builds the pot and keeps me out of position with initiative. The 3-bet size is large enough to charge the big blind.

Offsuit 8-5 is too weak to continue against a large three-bet, especially out of position.

Folding T9o to a 3-bet from the small blind as it lacks sufficient equity and playability.

Q7 offsuit is a weak hand in a 3-handed pot, and calling out of position after the blinds act is marginal; folding avoids a costly spot.

J5 suited is strong enough to raise from the small blind against the big blind. Raising to 300 puts pressure on a wide defending range.

Holding premium suited broadway in position against a small blind raise, raising to 900 for value and initiative.

J5 suited is too weak to continue against a three-bet to 900, especially out of position postflop.

Q6 offsuit is a marginal but playable button open in a three-handed, no-rake game. A small raise applies pressure to the blinds while preserving position.

J5s is too weak to defend out of position against a button raise with the big blind still left to act.

Q3 suited in the big blind is getting a good price, needing to call 125 to win a pot of 375 (about 25% equity needed) against a wide button open, so calling is reasonable and a 3-bet bluff isn't necessary.

I have Qc high with a backdoor club draw on an Ad-2h-Ts flop, out of position against the button's preflop raise. The hand is too weak to bet for value and has little showdown value, so I check and keep the pot small.

The dry ace-high flop favors my preflop raising range. A small continuation bet can fold out better unpaired hands and some weak pairs while risking little.

Queen-high with a backdoor club draw on an A-2-T board. The button's small c-bet of 165 into 500 gives 4:1 pot odds, and I have a backdoor flush draw and a gutshot-ish backdoor outs (3 with 2 for a wheel draw). Calling is reasonable versus a wide button range.

I have only queen-high with a backdoor-dead club draw on an A-2-T-4 board. The button showed strength by betting the flop, so I check and give up the bluff at no cost.

The turn completes the spade flush draw, and Q-high has little equity or useful blockers. Checking avoids investing more chips in a weak bluff.

Queen-high with an ace on the board has little value. It rarely beats a called bet and will win at showdown only sometimes, so I check rather than bluff into a range that can still hold aces.

Q-high has little showdown value, but this river is a poor bluff spot: the big blind can call with an ace, a ten, a jack, or a flush. Checking avoids risking more chips with no spade blocker.