Hold'em table

On the button in a three-handed game, 8-6 offsuit is playable as an open. A small raise applies pressure while keeping the risk controlled.

Q5 offsuit from the small blind facing a 2.5x button open is a clear fold; it plays poorly out of position and is dominated by much of the button's range.

J4s is far too weak to defend a 2.5x raise out of position with only one opponent; folding is clearly best.

J5 offsuit on the button in a 3-handed game is a marginal hand; folding avoids playing a weak, dominated hand out of position postflop against two opponents who still act.

42s is far too weak even against one caller; folding the small blind loses only 50 chips.

J9o on the button is a decent position hand; a small raise can take the blinds or build a pot in position.

3♥5♠ is too weak to continue against a button raise, especially out of position with the big blind still to act.

Q9 suited in the big blind facing a 3x button open with 4.5:1 odds closing the action is a standard defend; 3-betting is marginal and folding is too tight.

Out of position with a gutshot (J) and a backdoor flush draw plus two overcards on a dry board; checking to the preflop raiser keeps the pot controlled and lets me see a cheap turn or raise a small c-bet.

I raised preflop with J9 and the BB checked a T-high flop; a small stab often wins the pot, and J-high may be ahead if he check-raises weak. Cheap bluff, I can fold to a check-raise.

Qc9c on 3c 8h Ts gives a gutshot to the jack plus two overcards against a small c-bet (200 into 650); getting over 4:1 we have an easy call with decent equity and position-less but cheap peel.

Open-ended straight draw (6 or J) with an overcard out of position; check to see a cheap river or call a reasonable bet with good equity rather than bloating the pot.

I picked up a nine-high flush draw; villain's turn check-back looks weak, so barreling plausibly folds out overcards and mid-pairs while retaining outs.

Open-ended straight draw (J or 6) with a Q overcard; direct odds are slightly short at ~29% needed vs ~17% to hit, but with 8800 behind and villain barreling aggressively, implied odds justify a call. Raising as a semi-bluff risks too much out of position.

Top pair of queens on a three-heart board after facing two barrels; betting into an aggressive opponent risks getting raised by flushes, so I check to control the pot and evaluate a bet.

My J-high missed everything and seat_2 called twice; checking river and giving up is cheapest.

A6 offsuit is a reasonable button open three-handed. Raising to 250 applies pressure to the blinds while keeping the sizing modest.

Pocket deuces in the SB facing a 2.5x button open with 100bb effective; set-mining call is marginal but with deep stacks and a BB who may come along, calling 200 for implied odds is reasonable.

A5 offsuit is too weak to defend for 150 more against a raise and a caller out of position; folding is the profitable play.

Pocket deuces on a 9-5-8 two-tone board is a weak underpair out of position; checking to the preflop raiser and deciding based on their action is the standard low-variance line.

A-high has some showdown value, but this connected flop favors the caller’s range and I have little reason to build the pot. I’ll take the free card.

Pocket deuces on 9-5-8-Q is a weak underpair with no draw; flop checked through so I'll check again and evaluate cheaply, folding to significant aggression.

A small turn bet can fold out some unpaired hands while giving my nut-flush draw useful fold equity. If called, I still have strong river improvement chances.

Pocket deuces on a 9-5-8-Q board with a flush draw out there is almost never good against a turn bet from the preflop raiser; with only two outs and a draw-heavy board, folding is clearly best.

K7o on the button in a 3-handed game is a standard open; raising to 2.5bb gives us initiative and position over both blinds.

K5 offsuit is too weak to call a 2.5x raise out of position with two players behind; folding is standard.

QTs is a strong defend against a button open, and calling keeps weaker hands in while avoiding an unnecessary 3-bet out of position.

Check with queen-high and useful backdoor straight and flush possibilities. This low paired board can be checked to the preflop raiser, and I can respond to their sizing.

Paired dry board, heads-up in position as preflop raiser with K-high; a small continuation bet takes it down often against a BB calling range that mostly missed, and I keep the option to give up if raised.

The small flop bet gives favorable pot odds, and Q-high has two overcards plus a backdoor heart draw. Calling keeps weaker bluffs in while avoiding an unnecessary raise with limited made-hand strength.

Q-high has little reason to value-bet on this paired board, and the flop bettor can continue with many hands that beat it. Check and preserve the chance to reach showdown cheaply.

Board has trips; my K kicker plays but anything calling a second barrel (9x, pairs, Ax) beats me while hands that fold I already beat. Check back for showdown value and pot control.

My queen-high kicker is decent on this board, but a bet is unlikely to get called by worse after the flop raise. I’ll take the free showdown rather than fold out hands I already beat.

Board trips with K kicker is a bluff-catcher at best; any A, pair, or Kx with better kicker beats me and worse hands fold to a bet, so checking back to realize showdown value is best.

The button has folded, and completing for 50 gives a favorable price against the big blind. 9-4 offsuit is weak, so I’ll avoid raising and keep the pot small.

Button folded and SB limped; K8o has a positional disadvantage but is well ahead of a limping range, so a raise to take the pot or build it with initiative is better than checking.

94 offsuit is too weak to continue from the small blind against a substantial raise, especially with the big blind still involved.