Hold'em table

On the button, 7-6 offsuit is playable as a small open with position against the blinds.

A7o plays poorly out of position against a button open, making it a standard fold from the small blind.

J4 offsuit is too weak to open from the button in three-handed play, making fold the clearly standard play.

Getting 3:1 pot odds with J4o against a random big blind hand; calling is profitable and avoids bloating the pot out of position with a weak hand.

8-2 offsuit is too weak to raise for value, and checking lets me see the flop for free.

I have a weak pair on a coordinated board and am out of position; checking controls the pot and avoids building a large pot with a marginal hand.

With no pair and little draw potential, I’ll take the free card rather than bluff into a limper’s checking range.

I have two pair (jacks and fours) on a draw-heavy board, so I bet for value and to charge flush/straight draws.

With eight-high, no made hand and no meaningful draw, calling the turn bet is unlikely to be profitable.

Calling 100 with 86o on the button keeps the pot small and lets me see a flop in position with a speculative hand.

Completing costs only 50 chips into a 250-chip pot. Although 9-5 offsuit is weak, the price makes seeing a flop worthwhile.

I have J5 offsuit in the big blind facing two limpers, making a free check to see the flop the optimal play.

Bottom pair with a gutshot has some showdown value, but it is too weak to bet into two opponents from out of position.

I have bottom pair with a weak kicker on a connected flop in a multiway pot; checking to control the pot size is standard.

I flopped two pair with 8s and 6d on a draw-heavy board. Betting for value and protection against straight and flush draws.

Bottom pair plus a gutshot gives me enough equity to continue against a 250-chip bet, though the wet board and a player still to act make raising unattractive.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker on a highly connected board facing a bet and a call offers poor playability and equity.

My pair of fives is weak on this connected, three-club turn. I’ll check rather than build the pot out of position.

I have two pair, but the turn completes flush and straight draws. Checking in position controls the pot and avoids getting raised by stronger hands.

My pair of fives has some showdown value, but the connected, three-club board makes a value bet too thin. Checking avoids building the pot against stronger hands.

I have two pair on a coordinated board and position; after the opponent checks the river, I bet for value and protection.

My pair of fives loses to many plausible value bets, including higher pairs, straights, and flushes. After the multiway flop bet and river bet, I don't expect enough bluffs to justify calling 500.

KQs is a strong button hand three-handed, so I open-raise for value and position.

K2o is far too weak to defend out of position from the small blind against a button open.

Q5o is a weak offsuit hand out of position against a button raise; folding avoids playing a dominated hand with poor postflop potential.

Opening pocket treys on the button in 3-handed play is standard for value and initiative.

T6o is a weak offsuit hand out of position against a button raise; folding avoids investing more chips with poor playability.

QTo has enough equity to defend the big blind against a small button raise, but is not strong enough to value-raise out of position.

Top pair with a moderate kicker is strong enough to continue, but checking lets the preflop raiser act without building an unnecessarily large pot out of position.

I have a weak pocket pair that has minimal value in betting; taking a free card in position controls the pot size.

Top pair can get value from weaker pairs and draws. A turn bet also makes it costly for those draws to see the river.

Holding an underpair of threes with no significant draw, calling a substantial turn bet is unprofitable.

4d2s is the worst starting hand in hold'em, and calling 100 chips out of position with no fold equity is unprofitable. Folding preserves chips.

7-3 offsuit has poor playability out of position, so I’ll give up the small blind rather than invest more.