Hold'em table

K2s on the button in a 3-handed game is a standard open; raising to 2.5bb takes initiative with position against both blinds.

With 7-9 offsuit out of position against a button raise, facing a 200-chip call with a weak, unsuited hand, folding is the disciplined choice over investing more chips.

85s is a weak suited connector, but getting 2.67:1 pot odds (150 to win 400) makes a call marginally profitable to see a flop, even out of position. Folding is too tight, and raising would be a risky bluff against a button open.

With a flush draw and gutshot straight draw, I semi-bluff to take the pot now or build it for when I hit. My draw has decent equity against most hands.

King-high with no pair and only a backdoor spade draw facing a large donk bet on a coordinated board; calling has poor equity and bluff-raising a strong lead is low-value, so fold.

Calling the 100-chip big blind from the button is a cheap price with a suited connector that has reasonable playability in a three-way pot.

Q8s is a playable hand getting 5:1 pot odds to complete from the small blind; raising would inflate the pot out of position with a marginal holding.

6-4 offsuit in the big blind with two limpers; checking to see a free flop is clearly best, raising would be bloating the pot with a weak hand out of position.

Middle pair with Q kicker on a coordinated 8s9h7s flop. OOP as the small blind, I want to keep the pot small and see a cheap turn before committing more chips.

Open-ended straight draw (need 5 or T) in a limped three-way pot on a wet board; checking keeps the pot small and lets me see a cheap turn while retaining the option to check-raise or call a small bet.

I hold a pair of sevens with a spade flush draw, a decent but not dominant hand, so checking keeps the pot small and lets me see the turn for free.

I have middle pair with a mediocre kicker on a coordinated board with straight and flush draws. Checking avoids bloating the pot out of position and gives me a free river card to possibly improve or see a cheap showdown.

Semi-bluff with an 8-out straight draw (5 or T) in a limped pot where everyone has shown weakness; good fold equity and backup equity if called.

Holding a pair of sevens with a 6-gutshot to a straight, I get about 3.5-to-1 pot odds on a 200 call into a 500 pot, so calling is reasonable against a turn bet that could be a bluff or a weaker king.

Middle pair on a highly coordinated board facing a bet and a call leaves me with too little equity; my outs are limited and often tainted, so folding avoids a likely bad river situation.

I rivered a 9-high straight with 6c4h on 8-9-7-K-5; only T6/JT beat me, so I bet about 70% pot for value against the turn caller's likely pairs, Kx, and missed draws.

I hold two pair (sevens and fives) and need only about 29% equity to call 500 into a 1200 pot, which seems reasonable against a turn-and-river betting line that could include weaker hands or bluffs.

J9o is a playable hand from the button in a 3-handed game. Raising to 3 big blinds puts pressure on the blinds and allows me to take the initiative, potentially winning the pot preflop or playing in position postflop.

J6 offsuit in the small blind facing a 3x open from the button is a clear fold; it plays poorly out of position and is dominated by much of the button's range.

Nine-six offsuit is a weak hand out of position facing a 3x button raise, and the call of 200 into a 450 pot isn't justified by its equity.

8-6 offsuit on the button in a 3-handed game is a marginal hand; folding avoids playing a weak holding out of position-neutral spot against two blinds with no fold equity info. Raising is an option but 86o is below a reasonable button opening range at 100bb.

Calling the 50-chip completion from the small blind is cheap with a suited-free Jack-nine in a 3-handed pot, and it keeps me in to see a flop.

54s is weak but playable; check to see a free flop in position.

I have J-high with no pair or real draw on a 5-2-3 flop, so I'll take the free check and see the turn.

I have a pair of fives and an open-ended straight draw (8 outs), giving me a strong semi-bluff opportunity. Betting will build the pot when I hit and may fold out weaker air.

I have J-9 high with no pair or real draw on a 5-2-3 board, so calling 150 into a 350 pot is not justified against a flop bet.

Ten-five offsuit is a weak hand that plays poorly out of position against two opponents, so folding to the 100-chip price avoids a marginal, low-equity call.

Blind vs blind with K3o, raising to 300 as a steal attempt puts pressure on BB, hoping to take down the 150 pot with minimal risk.

KJo is well ahead of a typical small-blind opening range in a blind-vs-blind spot, and I have position for the rest of the hand, so a 3-bet for value to ~3x the open is standard.

K3o is a very weak hand facing a 3-bet from the big blind; it's easily dominated and calling would be negative expected value.

2c 3d is a very weak hand, even on the button. Folding is the best play to preserve chips.

Button folded, so it's heads-up vs the big blind with Ad3c in the small blind; A3o is a standard raise in blind-vs-blind to take initiative and the dead money rather than limping out of position.

Getting 2.5-to-1 pot odds heads-up against a small blind raise, and suited 5-3 has enough playability to justify calling the 200 chips needed to continue.

Small c-bet with ace-high and a gutshot to Broadway on a board that favors my preflop raising range; cheap pressure with equity if called.

I have a four-flush draw with nine outs and need about 20% equity to call 200 into an 800 pot, which a flush draw with two cards to come comfortably exceeds.

Ace-high with a gutshot on a paired, coordinated KQJJ board; opponent called the flop so likely has a pair or draw. Take a free card rather than barrel into a range that rarely folds here.

I hold 5-3 with no pair or real draw on a J-Q-K-J board, so checking is the cheapest way to see the river with a weak hand.

I play the board two pair with ace kicker; any K, J, flush, or AT beats me and ace chops, so there is little value in betting and I'd rather see a cheap showdown.

My 5-3 has only king-high on this board, so I can't beat a bet from a checked-down opponent and should take the free showdown with a check.