Hold'em table

87o on the button in a 3-handed game is a standard open; a 2.5bb raise gets folds from the blinds often and plays well in position when called.

T-5 offsuit is too weak to continue from the small blind facing a raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

Pocket threes can profitably call a small button raise from the big blind, with a chance to make a set and substantial stacks behind.

With an underpair on an ace-high flop, I prefer to check and avoid building the pot out of position.

The Ace-high flop strongly favors my button opening range over the big blind's calling range. A small c-bet with 87o (gutshot to the 7, backdoor potential) takes down the pot often and keeps my range protected.

Pocket threes have little chance to improve and few good ways to continue out of position on this ace-high, two-heart flop.

T-J offsuit is a solid button-opening hand in a three-handed game. Raise to 300 to take initiative while keeping the pot manageable.

9-6 offsuit is too weak to defend the small blind against a 3x button raise with the big blind still to act.

Against a wide 3-handed button open, K5o has enough equity to defend from the big blind. Calling 200 into a 650 pot needs only about 31% equity.

K5 with a backdoor diamond draw and a gutshot to Broadway is a weak holding out of position on a paired board that favors the preflop raiser, so checking is standard. I can decide how to respond to a c-bet once I see its size.

I have trips and should value-bet against Qx, pocket pairs, and diamond draws. A modest bet can get calls without needlessly inflating the pot.

Against a small c-bet, I only need about 28% equity. King-high with a backdoor diamond draw and a live overcard is enough to defend against a wide button range.

I have king-high with only a gutshot to Broadway, and the ace makes it hard to bluff out of position against the preflop raiser. Checking lets me realize my equity cheaply.

Bet for value with trip jacks while the ace can give the opponent a second pair to continue with. A moderate sizing also charges straight draws without risking an unnecessarily large pot.

King-high with only a gutshot to Broadway (4 outs, about 9%) doesn't justify calling 600 into 2350, which needs about 25% equity. Implied odds don't cover the gap, and a check-raise bluff is thin against a button range that bet small twice.

Six-five offsuit is too weak to open profitably from the button against two players with deep stacks.

The button folded, so this is small blind versus big blind, and A7o is well ahead of a big blind's defending range. A raise to 3bb takes the initiative and can win the pot right away.

K2 offsuit is too weak to continue out of position against a 3x small-blind raise, even with the price offered.

Q8s on the button in a 3-handed game is a clear opening hand, so I'm raising to 2.5bb to take the initiative with positional advantage.

J9 suited is a playable defending hand against a button open, and the price is reasonable. Calling keeps weaker hands in while avoiding an unnecessary out-of-position 3-bet.

T2 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a raise and a call. The pot odds are tempting, but its weak kicker and limited ability to realize equity make folding preferable.

I have no pair or immediate draw on this ace-high board, so checking keeps the pot small and preserves my backdoor possibilities.

The AK3 board strongly favors the preflop raiser, and my QT-less backdoor hand has a gutshot to broadway with a J, plus backdoor spade draws. A small c-bet at one-third pot works well against a small blind who flatted and checked.

The small bet offers a reasonable price, and J♦9♦ has backdoor flush and straight possibilities. Calling keeps the pot manageable while retaining some equity against a likely wide flop stab.

A pair of nines with a jack kicker is a modest bluff-catcher on this ace- and king-high board. Checking keeps the pot controlled and lets the preflop raiser act.

Queen-high with no real draw on an A-K board. The small blind's flop-calling range is full of Ax and Kx hands that won't fold, so I'll take the free river card and keep the pot small.

My pair of nines has reasonable showdown value, but a river bet is unlikely to get called by many worse hands. I’ll check and avoid turning it into a bluff or thin value bet.

Queen-high has almost no showdown value, and villain's check-call, check, check line looks weak and capped. A roughly two-thirds pot bluff can fold out small pairs and missed draws.

I have only a weak pair of nines, and the sizable river bet after the flop call and turn check is likely value-heavy. I don't expect enough bluffs to justify calling.

Q7 offsuit is a reasonable button open in a three-handed game. A small raise applies pressure to the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

Q7 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

Getting about 3.7:1 against a wide 3-handed button open, so 95o is a standard big-blind defend. Calling is better than folding or 3-betting here.

Holding 9-5 offsize on K-8-T, I have only a gutshot to a J and a backdoor straight draw, so I check to the preflop raiser out of position. I can decide on a check-raise or fold after seeing their action.

I have no made hand and only backdoor straight and flush possibilities. Checking is free and avoids building a pot with weak equity.

Open-ended straight draw (a 7 or a Q completes it) after the button checked back the flop, which signals weakness. Leading about 64% pot as a semi-bluff wins fold equity now and keeps our outs if called.

I have an open-ended straight draw, but with one card to come its eight apparent outs are well short of the pot odds to call. Folding avoids paying too much for a river card.

K5 suited is a profitable button open three-handed, and a 2.5 big blind raise applies pressure while preserving position.

Three-handed, the button's opening range is wide, and Q8s plays well as a 3-bet from the small blind. It denies the big blind a cheap look and avoids playing out of position in a multiway pot.

A3 suited has an ace blocker, but calling 9.5bb faces a very large 3-bet while the original raiser is still in the hand. The pot odds and out-of-position playability don’t justify continuing.

K5 suited is too easily dominated to defend against this large three-bet, even with position.