Hold'em table

84 offsuit is too weak to open profitably from the button in a 3-handed game at 100bb, so a fold is standard.

With a small pocket pair heads-up against the big blind, raising builds the pot and may win it immediately. A 300-chip total is a reasonable opening size while keeping the pot manageable.

K6 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind against a small-blind raise, especially with position after the flop.

With a small pair on a ten-high flop, I have little value in building the pot and can take a free card while keeping weaker hands in.

The preflop raiser checked, and my king-high hand has limited showdown value. A small bet can take the pot now without risking much.

The 200-chip bet is small relative to the pot, and pocket fives retain some showdown value against a wide lead range. I’ll call once rather than raise and reassess on the turn.

A pair of fives is a weak showdown hand on this connected, three-club board. I’ll check rather than build the pot and reassess if my opponent bets.

I have a straight draw and a club draw, but little showdown value. After the opponent checks again, a turn bet can win the pot now while leaving me outs if called.

My pocket fives are a weak pair on a connected, three-club board, and I have no club to improve or block a flush. Calling the substantial turn bet is unlikely to be profitable.

As the button in a three-handed game, 9-7 offsuit is playable as an open. Raising to 2.5 big blinds applies pressure while keeping the sizing modest.

The button can open a wide range, and my ace blocks some strong hands. A 3-bet pressures that range while avoiding a difficult out-of-position call.

93s facing an open plus a 3-bet out of position is a clear fold; I'd be calling 850 into a multiway pot with a weak hand while the original raiser is still left to act.

97 offsuit is too weak to continue against a large three-bet, even in position. Folding avoids investing more chips with poor equity and playability.

6-4 offsuit is too weak to open from the button against two players with no reads.

A5o is a strong hand blind vs blind with the ace blocker, so raising to 3x is standard and better than limping out of position.

Jh8h is playable heads-up against a small blind open, and calling 200 offers favorable pot odds while avoiding an unnecessary 3-bet out of position.

On a dry paired board I have ace high plus a backdoor diamond draw, and as the preflop raiser I hold the range advantage, so a small c-bet of a third pot works well out of position.

I have trips and a strong kicker, so I want to build the pot and charge any diamond draw or overcards. Raising to 700 is a substantial but measured value raise against the small flop bet.

The call is 500 into a 1500 pot, so I need about 25% equity. Ace-high on a paired board has some showdown value against draws and bluffs, plus backdoor flush and wheel draws, so a call is reasonable here.

Ace-high with a gutshot-less weak draw (backdoor diamond missed) facing a flop check-raiser; checking keeps the pot small and lets me realize equity or fold to aggression.

I have trip eights with a strong kicker and can value-bet while charging diamond draws and weaker pairs. A half-pot bet should get calls without needlessly inflating the pot against the occasional full house.

I only have ace high with no real draw against a flop check-raise followed by a turn barrel. Villain's range is mostly 8x, tens and overpairs, so even the 25% equity needed at these pot odds isn't there.

AJo on the button 3-handed is a clear open; a 2.5bb raise builds the pot with a strong hand and keeps it simple.

5♠4♥ is too weak offsuit to continue from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

QTo has enough equity to defend the big blind against a button raise at this price, but it is not strong enough to 3-bet for value.

Top two pair is strong on this relatively dry flop. A 350-chip bet builds the pot while allowing calls from weaker queens, tens, and draws.

AJ on QT5 gives an open-ended straight draw (a K or 9 makes the nut straight), plus ace overcard equity and a gutshot to broadway. We are getting 350 into 900 against a BB lead, so calling in position keeps his bluffs in and controls the pot.

Two pair is strong enough to value-bet against one-pair hands and charge straight draws, despite the king improving some of my opponent's range.

We have the nut straight (A-K-Q-J-T), and there are two spades on board. Raising builds the pot for value and charges flush draws and weaker made hands.

Two pair is strong enough to continue for this price, but the turn raise can represent straights or stronger two pair. Calling keeps weaker hands and bluffs in without building a larger pot against that range.

Top two pair has showdown value, but the turn raise suggests a range that includes straights, sets, and better two pair. Checking avoids building the pot against that range.

I have the nut Broadway straight with no flush possible, so I shove to get maximum value from the sets and two pair that would call a turn check-raise.

Top two pair is strong, but the turn raise followed by a river shove for more than the pot heavily favors straights and stronger two-pair hands. I don't expect enough bluffs to justify calling 7200.

On the button three-handed, T6 offsuit is marginal but playable as an open; raising applies pressure and takes initiative rather than inviting both blinds in cheaply.

Pocket nines are strong enough to three-bet a button open from the small blind. Raising to 950 applies pressure while avoiding a multiway pot out of position.

A8o facing an open plus a 3-bet from the small blind is dominated too often and is out of position with the original raiser still to act, so folding is best.

T♦6♠ is a weak offsuit hand against a sizable 3-bet, and calling would put in more chips with poor equity and playability.

Q9 suited is a profitable button open three-handed. A 2.5 big blind raise takes advantage of position without committing too much.

T7o from the small blind facing a button open with the big blind still to act is a clear fold; the hand is out of position and plays poorly.

KTo is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button open, and calling preserves its postflop playability without inflating the pot out of position.

With top pair and a reasonable kicker, checking out of position keeps the pot manageable and lets the preflop raiser act; I can respond to a bet on a later decision.

A small continuation bet can fold out missed hands while keeping the pot manageable. I also have backdoor straight and flush possibilities if called.

Top pair with a decent kicker is strong enough to continue against this small bet, while calling keeps weaker hands and bluffs in the pot.

Top pair with a ten kicker has showdown value, but the jack turn improves some of the button’s barreling range. I’ll keep the pot manageable and avoid betting into a range that can continue strongly.

The turn gives me a gutshot, and a bet can fold out some of the big blind’s weak flop calls while preserving a chance to improve on the river.

Top pair is strong enough to continue against a turn bet of this size, though raising would isolate us against stronger hands. Calling keeps the pot manageable while allowing bluffs and draws to remain in Villain’s range.

I have top pair with a reasonable kicker, and the river check gives me a chance to get a small value bet from weaker Kx. A modest size limits exposure to the completed straight draws and stronger hands.

Queen-high has negligible showdown value, and this river bet is too small to justify a high-risk bluff raise without a reliable read that the opponent will fold.