Hold'em table

T3 offsuit is too weak to call a blind from the button, so I fold and wait for a better hand.

Completing costs only 50 chips into a 150-chip pot. Q5 offsuit is playable blind versus blind at this price, while limping keeps the pot small out of position.

With 6♠4♥ in the big blind and no raise to call, check and see the flop for free.

Middle pair with a queen kicker has showdown value but does not want to build a large pot out of position. Checking keeps weaker hands in and lets us assess the opponent's action.

With a weak bottom pair and no meaningful draw, checking keeps the pot small and preserves showdown value. I can reassess if the turn improves my hand or the action stays passive.

Our pair of fives has some showdown value, but betting this coordinated turn is unlikely to get called by enough worse hands. Checking keeps the pot small and lets us reassess against a bet.

A pair of fours has some showdown value, but the turn completes several straight-draw possibilities and few worse hands are likely to call a bet. I’ll take the free river and keep the pot small.

Our pair of fives has showdown value, but betting is unlikely to get called by worse. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids turning a marginal made hand into an unnecessary bluff.

I have only a weak pair of fours, and my opponent has checked through every street. I’ll take the free showdown rather than risk a bluff raise.

QQ is a premium opening hand on the button. Raising to 2.5 big blinds builds value while keeping weaker hands in the blinds' calling ranges.

83 suited is too weak to continue from the small blind against a raise, especially out of position with the big blind still to act.

K6 offsuit is too weak to continue against a button open; calling leaves me dominated and out of position.

42 offsuit is too weak to open from the button, and limping gives poor value with no ante. Fold and preserve the stack.

Button folded, so this is heads-up versus the big blind. K8o is playable enough to apply pressure with a small steal raise rather than limp or fold.

43 offsuit is too weak to profitably defend against a 3bb raise, even with position. Folding avoids investing more with poor equity and limited postflop playability.

J3o is too weak to open or flat from the button, especially with both blinds still to act. Folding avoids putting chips in with a dominated, unconnected hand.

Completing costs only 50 chips into a 150-chip pot, and J5 suited has sufficient playability against the big blind's unrestricted range. Limping keeps the pot manageable while out of position.

With a weak offsuit hand and no raise to face, take the free option in the big blind.

Bottom pair has some showdown value but is too weak to build a pot out of position on this ace-high, two-spade board. Checking keeps weaker hands in and lets us reassess against a bet.

I have no pair or meaningful draw on this ace-high, monotone flop. Checking keeps the pot small and preserves the chance to improve cheaply.

Bottom pair has some showdown value, but betting would mostly fold worse hands and get called by better pairs or draws. Checking keeps the pot small while preserving the option to respond to the opponent's sizing.

A small turn bet can represent an ace after the flop checked through and may fold out better high-card hands. I also have four outs to a straight if called.

Calling needs 25% equity, and bottom pair can meet that against a wide turn-stabbing range containing draws and unpaired hands after the flop checked through. Raising would mostly fold out worse hands and isolate stronger ones.

My pair of fives retains some showdown value, but a bet is unlikely to get called by worse. Checking avoids investing more on a river that completes several draws.

I have only a modest pair, and the river completes a possible flush. Checking takes the showdown without risking a bet against stronger made hands.

Nine-five offsuit is too weak for a standard button open with both blinds still to act. Folding avoids investing in a hand with poor equity and limited postflop playability.

J4 offsuit is weak, but completing costs only 50 chips to contest a 150-chip pot heads-up. Calling preserves the pot odds without building a large pot out of position.

96o is too weak to raise, and checking is free after the small blind completes.

I have top pair in a small, limped pot and can get value while denying equity to overcards. A small bet keeps weaker hands in and limits the downside with my weak kicker.

Nine-six offsuit completely missed this flop with no pair or draw, so calling a bet is unprofitable and a bluff raise has little fold equity justification.

7♠4♠ is a reasonable button open in a three-handed game. A small raise applies pressure to the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

Pocket fives have enough implied odds to call a 2.5bb button open from the small blind and try to flop a set.

J6 offsuit is too weak to defend against a button raise and small-blind call. Its poor playability and reverse implied odds outweigh the favorable immediate pot odds.

Pocket fives are only a weak underpair to the eight and ten, so I check to realize equity cheaply and avoid bloating the pot against the preflop raiser.

With a weak hand but backdoor flush and straight possibilities, make a small positional stab after the flop checks through to me. The sizing can fold out missed hands without risking much.

Pocket fives have showdown value against a small one-quarter-pot c-bet, and the price is too good to fold out of position despite being an underpair.

Pocket fives are a weak pair on a K-T-8 board against the preflop raiser who c-bet the flop. Checking keeps the pot small and preserves showdown value rather than bloating it out of position.

I have a flush draw and the turn king is a strong card for my preflop raising range. A half-pot bet applies pressure while retaining useful equity if called.

Pocket fives plus the heart flush draw have enough equity and implied odds to continue against a 500 turn bet into 1500.

Pocket fives is only tens-and-fives on a paired board, and most kings, eights, tens, and higher pairs beat me. With the aggressor still to act, checking is better than betting into a range that calls with better.

I have no showdown value, but the turn and river let me credibly represent a king or better. A sizable river bet may fold hands like 8x or missed heart draws after the opponent checked.

Board pair of tens means my fives are only a weak second pair, and a king, ten, or higher pocket pair all beat me. Calling a triple barrel here is unprofitable.