Hold'em table

Ace-x suited-ish wheel hand A3o on the button in a 3-handed game is a solid raise; the ace blocks strong hands and position helps, so a 3bb open is reasonable.

A9o plays poorly out of position against a 3bb button open with the big blind still to act, so folding is the cleanest standard play.

Calling 200 into a 450-chip pot is reasonable against a potentially wide button opening range. With no rake, 6-5 offsuit can sometimes make strong disguised hands, though I'll need to play cautiously out of position.

Trips are strong on this dry paired flop, but checking lets the preflop raiser bet while keeping weaker hands in the pot.

I have A-3 with an open-ended straight draw (A-2-3-4-5 needs a 2, and 3-4-5-6 needs 2 or 6, so a wheel draw plus an ace-high) on a low board where the big blind checked. A bet of about 60% pot builds the pot and takes it down when villain has little, while a draw and backup outs protect me when called.

Trips are strong enough to continue, but calling keeps the button’s bluffs and weaker hands in the pot without inflating it against better fives or full houses.

I have trips but a weak kicker. Checking lets the preflop raiser continue betting while keeping the pot manageable against stronger fives and full houses.

I have a gutshot straight draw (3-4-5 plus an ace makes a wheel) and a backdoor over-card. The opponent checked twice, which suggests weakness, so a half-pot bet can win the pot now or get a good price on my draw. The ace also gives some showdown value if I get called. The pot is 1450, so a 700 bet is roughly half pot.

Trips are strong enough to continue, but the weak kicker makes a turn raise vulnerable to better fives and full houses. Calling keeps bluffs and weaker value hands in.

Trips are strong enough to seek value, but checking lets the preflop raiser bet a ten or bluff missed draws without forcing those hands to fold.

Ace-high has some showdown value against missed draws. Opponent called two bets, so a bluff would likely be called by pairs. My Ad blocks missed diamond draws, which makes a bluff worse, so I check.

T3o is too weak to open even from the button in 3-handed play, making an easy fold.

A7 suited is strong enough to raise heads-up against the big blind, despite being out of position.

Suited 84s in the big blind getting 2:1 (pot 400, 200 to call) against a small blind raise in a 3-handed game is a reasonable call with position disadvantage but good price; folding gives up too much equity.

Ace-high with a gutshot has useful equity, but this connected low flop favors the big blind's calling range. Checking preserves the option to continue against a reasonable bet.

I have 4s8s on 6s9h5d, an open-ended straight draw with a backdoor flush draw. The small blind checked, so a semi-bluff bet of about 2/3 pot builds the pot and can win it now, and I still have plenty of equity if called.

Ace-high with a gutshot and backdoor spade draw has enough potential to continue against this bet. Calling keeps the pot manageable while preserving the chance to improve.

I have ace-high and a gutshot, but the turn brings a diamond flush draw and does not improve my hand. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me assess a bet.

I have a straight (4-5-6-8-9 is not complete, but 4s8s with board 6-9-5-2 gives an open-ended... actually 4-5-6 plus 8 makes 4,5,6,8,9 with a gap at 7), so I hold a gutshot plus backdoor draws; villain checked twice showing weakness, so a half-pot bet is a good semi-bluff. A 7 gives me a straight.

The gutshot and possible ace outs give me enough equity to call this half-pot bet, with the chance that ace-high is already ahead of a draw.

Ace-high can beat missed draws, while a river bluff may struggle to fold out the pairs that called both earlier streets. I’ll check and reassess if faced with a bet.

I have only 8-high, so this is a bluff. Seat 3 check-called flop and turn and checked the river, which suggests a capped range of medium pairs and missed draws. A half-pot bet needs about 28% fold equity to break even, and that looks achievable.

Ace-high missed its draw, and the opponent bet all three streets. Calling needs too much bluff frequency, while a raise is unlikely to move enough made hands.

Pocket queens are a premium hand on the button, so I’m raising for value against both blinds.

4s2s is a weak hand out of position against a button raise to 3bb, with the big blind still to act behind me. Calling 250 more is not profitable, so I fold.

Holding 84o out of position facing a 3x open is an easy standard fold.

9-5 offsuit is a weak hand, and I'm out of position against two players who have yet to act, so folding is best rather than paying 100 to see a flop.

T6o is too weak to complete or raise from the small blind out of position against the big blind.

96o is too weak to open on the button even in 3-handed play, so folding is standard.

With only the big blind remaining, completing for 50 chips is inexpensive. I’ll see a flop rather than build a larger pot with 6-3 offsuit.

7-5 offsuit is a weak hand, so I take the free flop from the big blind instead of building a pot out of position.

I have no pair or meaningful draw on a highly connected flop. Checking avoids putting more chips in with little equity.

7h5c on a JcTcQs board has no pair and no real draw, since 7-5 doesn't connect with the board. Checking is the safest way to see the next card for free, and a bluff into an opponent who could easily hold a Q, J, T or club draw isn't worth it.

Six-high has almost no showdown value. After the flop checked through, a small turn bet can win the pot when the big blind missed.

7-high on a J-T-Q-J board with no straight or flush draw; the board is very connected and the opponent's turn bet likely represents a real hand. Calling 150 into a 350 pot with nothing isn't worth it.

Pocket sixes are strong enough to open on the button three-handed. A 2.5-big-blind raise builds the pot while keeping the risk modest.

2-9 offsuit is one of the weakest hands, and I'm out of position in the small blind facing a button raise with the big blind still to act, so folding is best.

J5o is too weak to defend out of position against a button open, making fold standard.