Hold'em table

Pocket jacks are a strong premium hand on the button in a 3-handed game; raising for value and position builds the pot while isolating the blinds.

K7o is too weak to defend out of position from the small blind facing a 3x open.

A7 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button open, and calling keeps weaker hands in while avoiding an unnecessary large pot out of position.

I have ace-high with only a backdoor heart draw, so checking keeps the pot small and lets the preflop raiser act.

I have an overpair (jacks) heads-up on a dry flop and was checked to, so I bet for value while protecting against draws; a half-pot-sized bet keeps the opponent's weaker hands in.

A♠7♥ has only ace-high with a backdoor flush draw, and the sizable flop bet offers too little reason to continue.

85o is too weak to open from the button even in 3-handed play.

With only the big blind left and 50 chips to call into a 150-chip pot, completing with suited cards is worthwhile; raising this weak hand would risk too much.

T7 offsuit is marginal heads-up, but I'm in position postflop against a limper, so taking a free flop is better than bloating the pot with a weak hand.

I have only a weak bottom pair on an ace-high, two-diamond board, so checking avoids building the pot while keeping my hand's showdown value.

I missed the A-2-5 flop entirely with T-high and seat_3 checked, so there is no value in betting; checking keeps the pot small and avoids bloating it out of position.

I have only a weak pair and little reason to build the pot, so I check and take the free card.

I hold only ten-high with no draws on this board, so betting has little fold equity against a limper who has shown passivity; checking keeps the pot small and avoids investing chips with a weak hand.

I have trips and the opponent has shown no aggression, so a small river value bet can be called by weaker hands while limiting risk.

The river bet is only 100 into a 300 pot, so I need ~20% equity to call. My pair of twos beats all busted draws and ace-high bluffs, which make up a large share of a check-check-check-bet line, so calling is profitable despite losing to any real pair.

QTo is a solid button open in a three-handed game. Raising to 250 applies pressure to the blinds and takes the initiative.

Ace-two offsuit is far too weak to defend from the small blind against a 2.5x button raise; dominated hands and poor postflop playability make folding the clear EV choice.

Facing a 2.5bb open from the button, pocket eights has strong equity and great pot odds to defend from the big blind with a call.

Check to the preflop raiser from out of position with middle pair.

A small continuation bet can fold out unpaired hands while my overcards and backdoor draws give me some equity when called.

Holding middle pair on a dry J-high board against a small continuation bet, calling is profitable to see a turn card.

Check to control the pot with a medium pocket pair on a turn that brought several draw possibilities.

With only queen-high and no meaningful draw, a turn bet is unlikely to fold out better hands after the flop call. I’ll take the free card and preserve my showdown chance.

We hold a modest pair of eights on a four-to-a-straight board where many better hands exist; checking to realize showdown value is standard.

I have only queen-high and no useful blockers, while this runout completes several straights that favor the big blind’s calling range. I’ll take the free showdown rather than bluff into a range likely to contain pairs or straights.

2h4d offsuit is one of the worst starting hands, and I'd need to call a full big blind out of position against two committed players. Folding is clearly the highest-EV play.

KJo is well ahead of a random BB holding in a blind vs blind situation; raising to 3bb builds value and applies pressure.

A9 suited is strong enough to defend against a small-blind raise, and calling keeps the opener’s weaker hands in while preserving position postflop.

We have second pair with a gutshot and king kicker out of position on a wet board, making checking ideal for pot control and realizing equity.

With the nut-flush draw and an overcard, I have strong equity and can also fold out some missed hands. A half-pot bet builds the pot without overcommitting.

I have second pair with a gutshot straight draw and King overcard/backdoor flush blocker, getting 3:1 pot odds to call.

I have second pair with a king kicker and a gutshot straight draw; checking out of position controls the pot and lets me see what the opponent does.

I have the nut-heart draw, so taking the free river preserves my equity without risking a raise. The paired board also makes a turn bluff less attractive after my opponent called the flop bet.

I hold two pair, Queens and Jacks with a King kicker. Checking to realize showdown value against missed draws and weaker showdown hands.

I have an ace-high flush, which is strong enough to value-bet after the river check. The paired board makes a large bet risky, so I’m choosing a modest size to invite calls from weaker hands.

Holding Queens and Jacks with a King kicker on a double-paired board, getting better than 3.4-to-1 pot odds against missed draws and river stabs.

Holding 32 offsuit on the button is well outside any opening range, making this an easy fold.

KQs is a strong hand to raise for value and initiative heads-up against the big blind. A raise to 300 is a standard 3x big-blind size from the small blind.

Suited 86 in the big blind gets a good price (200 into 400) against a wide small-blind raise, and the hand has enough playability to see a flop despite being out of position.

Bet for value and protection with top pair and a strong kicker; a small continuation bet can get calls from worse pairs and draws. I keep the sizing modest on this somewhat connected board.

Calling 200 into an 800 pot needs only ~20% equity, and my bottom pair plus position against the preflop raiser's continuation-bet range clears that bar easily. I'll reassess on the turn rather than bloat the pot with a raise.

I have top pair with a strong kicker and should get value while charging straight draws on this connected turn. A medium-sized bet keeps worse queens and drawing hands in the pot.

K6 offsuit is a reasonable button open three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds applies pressure to the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

Ace-four offsuit is far too weak to defend out of position against a 2.5x button raise with a third player still to act. Folding preserves chips for better spots.

Defending the big blind with 96s against a 2.5bb button raise getting 2.7:1 pot odds, where suited one-gappers have sufficient playability.

I have nine-high with backdoor equity on a King-high board out of position; checking to the preflop aggressor is standard.

I have top pair on a fairly dry board and should get value and protection from weaker pairs and draws. A small bet keeps the pot manageable with my weak kicker.

I have nine-high with no direct draw on a King-high board against a flop c-bet, so folding is standard.