Hold'em table

42 offsuit is too weak to open from the button in 3-handed play at 100bb deep, even with a wide range. Folding costs nothing.

Q5 offsuit is strong enough to complete heads-up at a favorable price, but not worth raising against the big blind.

A-T offsuit is strong against a small-blind limp. Raising for value also lets me play the hand in position.

Q5 offsuit is too weak to continue against a substantial raise, especially out of position. Fold and preserve the remaining stack.

On the button three-handed, a small open can win the blinds often enough to justify raising this weak hand rather than limping.

8-5 offsuit is too weak to defend the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still to act.

Getting 350:100 in the big blind against a min-raise from the button, A2o easily has the equity to defend by calling.

Top two pair with a weak kicker on a paired board. Checking to the preflop raiser lets them bluff or c-bet into me, and keeps the pot controlled against better aces and trips.

A small flop bet takes advantage of the preflop raiser’s range and may fold out hands that missed, while risking little in a modest pot. I also have a backdoor spade-flush draw if called.

Top pair on a paired board is well ahead of a button c-bet range but has a weak kicker. Calling keeps his bluffs in and controls the pot size.

A2 on JJAQ is a weak top pair that is dominated by most Ax hands, so I check for pot control and to bluff-catch against a wide button range.

With no pair or meaningful draw, betting the turn is unlikely to fold out better hands after the flop call. Check back and preserve the chance to improve or reassess on the river.

Top pair with the weakest kicker has showdown value, but a bet would mostly get called by better aces and fold out worse hands. Checking controls the pot and lets the button bluff after checking back the turn.

My 6-high has little showdown value, but the opponent called the flop and checked down a board where they can have many pairs. A bluff risks too much against that range, so I’ll take the free showdown.

Pocket queens are a premium hand on the button, so I raise for value and to build the pot in position.

AKo in the small blind facing a button open is a clear 3-bet for value. Sizing to 12bb works out of position and still leaves the big blind behind.

6-2 offsuit is far too weak to continue against a raise and a substantial re-raise. Fold and preserve the stack.

Pocket queens are strong enough to four-bet for value against the small blind's three-bet. This sizing keeps weaker hands in while building the pot.

AKo facing a 4-bet from a wide three-handed button range is a standard 5-bet jam at 100bb. It denies equity to bluffs and folds out hands like AQ and smaller pairs, while AK keeps solid equity when called by QQ+.

Calling 7200 into a 12900-chip pot requires about 36% equity. QQ has enough equity against a plausible shove range that includes AK alongside premium pairs.

On the button 3-handed, 74s is a reasonable opening hand, so a small 2.5x steal pressures both blinds while keeping playability.

5♠2♣ is a very weak hand from the small blind against a button raise, and calling out of position with the big blind still to act is unprofitable.

Q6 offsuit is a marginal but playable big-blind defense against a button raise to 2.5 big blinds. Calling costs 150 more chips and closes the preflop action.

With no pair or meaningful draw on this paired flop, I’ll check rather than build the pot out of position.

On a paired, low board that favors the preflop raiser, a small c-bet with an open-ended straight draw (a 6 or 2 completes it), a backdoor flush draw and some fold equity is profitable.","table_message":""}

The small flop bet gives Q-high a reasonable price against a button range that can contain many missed high-card hands. I can reassess on the turn.

I have an open-ended straight draw, but no made hand. Checking lets me see the opponent's turn action without building the pot.

Our 5s-and-4s two pair is likely ahead of overcard hands and draws. A small bet charges them, and we still have straight outs if a better pair calls.

I have an open-ended straight draw and may also win with a queen on the river. The small turn bet makes calling preferable to folding or raising.

Queen-high has little showdown value, but the king is a poor card to bluff into a preflop raiser who bet both earlier streets. Checking avoids committing more chips with a weak hand.

My two pair is really just 4s on a paired board, and the K on the river beats me against any Kx. It also loses to 66+, trips, and straights. Villain's calling range is full of those, so checking takes the showdown value without getting raised off my equity.

K2 offsuit is weak but playable as a button open in a three-handed game. A minimum raise applies pressure while keeping the risk modest.

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

QTs in the big blind facing a 2x button open gets excellent pot odds (100 to win 350), so calling is clearly profitable. It also plays well postflop, so defending by calling beats a thin 3-bet.

The ace-high board favors the button's raising range. With only a gutshot and overcard equity out of position, checking and seeing the button's action is the standard play.

A small continuation bet leverages my preflop range advantage on this ace-high board. K-high has little showdown value, but the king also blocks some strong ace-king combinations.

We hold QT on A-J-5 with a gutshot to Broadway (a king makes the nut straight) plus a backdoor heart draw. Facing a small 150 bet into 450, we only need about 25% equity, so calling is easily profitable.

I have Broadway, which is nearly the nuts here; only a made spade flush beats it. Betting about 3/4 pot gets value from sets, two pair, Ax and single-spade draws while charging those draws.

K♣2♦ is a weak pair on an ace-high, three-spade board, and the large turn bet after a check-call is likely to include many aces or strong draws. The price is not attractive given our poor kicker and lack of a spade.}

Q3 offsuit is a weak, easily dominated hand. With no money committed and two players still to act, folding is preferable.

82o is among the weakest hands in the small blind versus the big blind, and playing out of position makes limping or raising slightly -EV, so folding is standard.