Hold'em table

Completing for 50 gets 3:1 against the big blind alone, and T2o fits a wide small-blind limping range. Raising would bloat the pot out of position with a weak hand.

4-6 offsuit is a weak hand, so I take the free flop from the big blind rather than inflate the pot out of position.

T-high with a gutshot (needs a J for Q-J-T-9-8? no—only backdoor potential); out of position in a limped pot, so I check and keep the pot small. A small stab is possible, but checking is fine with weak equity.

I have bottom pair (4s) on a Q-8-4 board with a weak kicker, so it's a marginal showdown-value hand. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids betting into a better hand.

Middle pair on the turn after the flop checked through in a limped pot; a small value/protection bet gets called by worse draws and weaker pairs and denies equity.

I have a pair of 4s, and the turn adds a gutshot straight draw (4-6 with 8-T needs a 7 and a 5... only partial). The villain bet 130 into a 330 pot, which is a small bet, so I'm getting about 3.5:1. After a check-check flop, the villain's range is wide, so calling is reasonable.

Second pair with a weak kicker has showdown value but can't get value from a turn-calling range that is full of better Qx and Tx. Checking keeps the pot small and lets the missed draws bluff.

I hold a bottom pair of fours, which is marginal. Opponent bet small on the turn then checked the river, so a bet would mostly be called only by better hands. I take the free showdown.

Pocket sixes on the button in 3-handed play are a clear open-raise; a standard 2.5bb open.

A9s is a decent hand in 3-handed play. Calling 200 more against a button open at a pot of 400 gives good odds, but a 3-bet isn't clearly better out of position with the big blind still to act, so I call.

K-J is a strong premium hand in 3-way play. With both opponents showing aggression (seat_2 raised, seat_3 called), re-raising to 1000 chips applies pressure, builds the pot while in position relative to the small blind, and narrows the field. This play capitalizes on hand strength while generating fold equity against weaker holdings.

66 on the button facing a 10bb squeeze with 100bb stacks has good set-mining implied odds and position against the squeezer, so calling beats both folding and 4-betting.

A9s out of position facing a 3-bet and a cold call from the button is dominated often and plays poorly; calling 750 more to see a flop in a 3-way pot isn't worth it.

I have K-J on a low flop (2-9-3) with no draws. I'm in position heads-up against seat_2 after a preflop 3-bet war. Checking allows me to control the pot and see the turn without risking more chips when my hand currently ranks as a high card only.

On a dry low board, 66 is likely ahead of a 3-bettor's checked overcards, so a small one-third-pot bet denies equity and can still fold to a check-raise. Staying silent avoids giving away information.

I have King-Jack high on a 2-9-3 flop with no draws. Seat 2's flop raise of 750 into 1000 pot suggests a strong hand. Folding preserves my stack for better spots with a weak holding that's likely behind.

Pocket kings on the button in a 3-handed pot is a premium hand, so I raise to 3bb for value against two players who must act after me.

6-3o is a weak hand that doesn't warrant calling a 3x raise from the button. The pot odds (450 to 250) don't justify chasing with this marginal holding, especially out of position postflop.

Getting 450:200 against a wide button open with suited 96, so a defend from the big blind is clearly profitable. Calling keeps the pot manageable, and the hand plays well postflop.

Middle pair with a weak kicker on an ace-high board that favors the button's raising range, so I check to control the pot and see how the button acts.

I have an overpair of kings on an A-9-3 flop and the big blind checked. A bet of about 60% of the pot gets value from aces, nines and flush draws, and it protects against draws.}

Middle pair on an A-high board facing a small c-bet (400 into 650, so I need roughly 28% equity). The button's range has plenty of air, so calling is better than folding or raising.

Middle pair plus a gutshot to the 7 is a decent bluff-catcher with some equity, but it shouldn't bet into a button c-bettor on an ace-high board. Checking keeps the pot controlled and gives a possible free river card.

Pocket kings are likely the best hand on a 9-A-3-8 board, even though the ace is a concern. Seat 2 checked twice and has shown weakness, so I'll bet about 55% of the pot for value and to deny equity to draws like hearts and straights.

Second pair facing a small turn barrel (800 into 1450) only needs about 26% equity, and the button's wide range contains plenty of draws and bluffs that we beat. Calling keeps their bluffs in, while raising would mostly fold out worse hands.

Our second pair has showdown value but is weak against a button that kept betting the A-high board. Checking keeps the pot controlled and lets their bluffs keep going, while leading would mostly get called by better hands.

Opponent checked and called twice, so their range is mostly medium pairs, draws that missed, and some aces. KK beats many of those, so a small value bet of about a third of the pot should get called by worse hands without risking much against an ace.

Getting about 5:1 on a small river bet, second pair beats the missed heart and straight draws plus some thin value hands, so a call is clearly profitable.

5-3o is a weak hand with poor equity. Folding is the optimal play from the button; even accounting for position, this hand lacks the strength to profitably call the big blind bet.

34o is among the weakest SB hands against a BB with position; folding loses only the posted small blind, while completing or raising out of position would be marginal to losing.

J8o on the button in 3-handed play is a standard open; a 2.5x raise to steal the blinds.

J7 offsuit is a weak hand out of position in the small blind, facing a button raise to 250 with the big blind still to act behind. Calling 200 more is not worth it, so I fold.

K4o is a weak hand that doesn't warrant investing 150 more chips against an aggressive raiser from the button. Folding preserves chips for stronger opportunities.

A7 suited is a good three-handed hand on the button, so I'll open-raise to 3bb to take initiative and play for position against the blinds.

3-6 offsuit is a weak hand with poor equity against a 3x raise. With 250 chips to call and a small stack to protect, folding is the correct play to preserve chips for better opportunities.

Getting 200 to win 650 (about 23.5% equity needed), and 97o is a reasonable BB defend against a wide 3-handed button open. Calling is better than folding, and a 3-bet would be too thin with this hand.

With 9-high and no draw on a Q-4-2 board that favors the preflop raiser, the best play out of position is to check and give up to a c-bet unless the turn improves me.

I have the nut flush draw backdoor? No, just Ace-high with a wheel draw (A-2-4 plus 7 gives a gutshot to a wheel needing 3 and 5). Villain checked, so a small continuation bet from the button with position, a gutshot, and overcard equity should win the pot often.Sized at about half pot.

97o on Q42 has no pair and only a gutshot-less backdoor, so it has very little equity against the button's c-bet range. Calling 350 into 1000 needs about 26% equity, which this hand doesn't have, so folding is cheapest.