Hold'em table

K5 offsuit is playable as an opening raise on the button in a three-handed game. Raising to 2.5 big blinds pressures the blinds while keeping the investment modest.

Ace-jack suited is strong enough to continue against a button raise to 250, and calling keeps the pot manageable out of position. Folding would give up too much equity, and a re-raise isn't needed with this hand.

54o is too weak to defend out of position against a button raise and small blind call; folding avoids marginal postflop spots.

I hold only ace-high with a jack kicker on a T-9-6 board and I act first heads-up, so checking keeps the pot small and avoids bloating it out of position.

This connected flop favors the caller's range, and K5 has little equity when called. Checking keeps the pot small and preserves the chance to improve.

I have only ace-high with no made hand on a Tc-6h-9s-5h-turn board, so I check to control the pot and see whether seat_1 bets.

Bottom pair has showdown value, but betting risks getting called by better hands or check-raised. Checking preserves the pot and lets me realize my river equity.

I have only ace-high on a board with no made straight or flush possible for me, and the opponent has checked twice, so checking keeps the pot small and takes a showdown.

Bottom pair has some showdown value, but worse hands are unlikely to call a bet and better hands may not fold. Checking avoids turning it into a bluff.

Ten-deuce offsuit is one of the weakest hands to play from the button facing a 100-chip call, so folding avoids a marginal loser.

The button folded, leaving K8s as a strong enough small-blind hand to raise for value and initiative against the big blind. Raising applies pressure and avoids playing a weak out-of-position calling range.

Calling 200 with 8-6 offsuit is reasonable against a small-blind raise: the pot odds are favorable, and I’ll have position postflop.

I have top pair on a draw-heavy board and should bet for value and protection. A 400 bet into 600 is a standard sizing that charges flush and straight draws while keeping weaker kings and tens in.

I have no pair or meaningful draw on this flop, so calling the bet is unlikely to be profitable.

With 2s4h on the button against a small blind and big blind already in, this hand is too weak to call or raise profitably, so folding is best.

Ace-king suited is a premium hand heads-up. Raising to 350 builds the pot for value while playing out of position.

K3 offsuit is a weak hand, but facing only a 250 call into a 700 pot heads-up against a small blind's raise, calling is cheap enough to see a flop.

This connected, two-diamond flop favors the big blind’s calling range. With two overcards but no immediate draw, I’ll check rather than build the pot.

I have king-high with no pair and no draw worth building a pot with, and checking is free, so I'll see the next card cheaply.

With ace-high, overcards, and a gutshot to the nut straight, I can take a free card. This connected board also hits the big blind’s calling range, so betting is unlikely to fold out many better hands.

I have King-high with no made pair on a Th-9d-Jc-5d board, and seat_1 has checked both the flop and turn, so checking to see a free river is the cheapest way to realize my equity.

Ace-king has showdown value against missed draws and weaker ace-high hands. A river bluff is unlikely to fold out many better hands on this board.

I hold only King-high on a paired board (5-5-T-9-J), and seat_1 has shown weakness by checking every street, so checking to see showdown is the low-risk choice.

Pocket eights are strong on the button three-handed, so I open for value while keeping the sizing efficient.

Holding 2-9 offsuit, out of position against a button raise to 250 with 150 more to call, this is a weak hand that is not worth continuing preflop.

Getting 150 to call into a 400 pot with the big blind discount, J8o has enough equity against a wide button open to continue. I'll take a cheap flop rather than fold or bloat the pot out of position.

I am out of position with only a gutshot and weak overcards; checking controls the pot and avoids building a large pot with a marginal flop holding.

My pair of eights is likely ahead of many big-blind hands. A small bet gets value from weaker hands and makes overcards pay to see the turn.

I have a gutshot straight draw plus two overcards, and I'm getting 3.75:1 pot odds to call 200 into 750; implied odds justify continuing.

I have only a straight draw with J-high and no made hand, so checking keeps the pot small and lets me see a free river against an aggressive opponent.

My pocket eights have showdown value and a straight draw, but a turn bet risks building a pot against better hands. Checking in position keeps the pot manageable and lets me see the river.

I have middle pair with a weak kicker on a coordinated board; opponent's line suggests showdown value, so checking controls the pot and avoids value-owning myself against better Jx or two pair.

Pocket eights have showdown value, but a river bet is unlikely to get called by enough worse hands to be worthwhile.

K6 offsuit is a playable button hand in a 3-way pot, and calling 100 to see a flop is better than folding with the price this small.

Closing the small blind for only 50 more into a 250 pot gives excellent odds, so I'll complete with J4o despite the weak holding.

Nine-five suited plays reasonably in a free three-way pot, but is too weak to raise for value out of position.

With J-high and no pair or draw on this flop, checking is best as the first postflop aggressor out of position. There is no need to put chips in with a weak hand.

Nine-high has little immediate equity against two opponents, and checking keeps the pot small while preserving a chance to improve.

On the flop with 6c-Ks against 6h-3c-Qd, I have only a backdoor-level holding and the pot is small, so I take the free card by checking rather than betting into two opponents who both checked.

With J-high and no made hand or strong draw on a coordinated board, checking keeps the pot small and avoids risking chips into two opponents.

I have a flush draw and two possible straight-completing ranks. After everyone checked the flop and the small blind checked the turn, a modest bet can win now while retaining plenty of equity when called.

We have a pair of sixes with a king kicker, and the 225 call is about 30% of the final pot, so calling is reasonable against a turn bet that could be a bluff or a thin value bet.

I have only jack-high with no draw on a connected board, and seat_1's turn raise plus seat_2's call indicates I am likely far behind. Folding avoids paying 225 with very little equity.

Nine-high has little showdown value. After leading the turn, I can credibly represent a made hand and pressure weaker pairs and missed draws.

I hold two pair (sevens and sixes, king kicker) and need only about 31% equity to call 625 into a 1375 pot, so calling is reasonable against a river bet that could be a bluff.

Q4o is a weak offsuit hand with poor playability and no reads, so folding from the button avoids investing chips out of position against two opponents.

With the button folded, 7-6 offsuit is playable heads-up. A modest raise can win the blind or build a pot with a hand that has straight potential.

Facing a 150-chip call into a 350-chip pot heads-up from the big blind, suited connectors like 7-6 have enough playability to continue, and raising would commit more chips with a weak hand.

This board connects well with the caller’s range, and my gutshot has limited immediate equity. I’ll check rather than build the pot out of position.

I hold 7-6 offsuit, a weak air hand on a T-8-K flop, and checking is free and keeps the pot small while seat_1 has shown only a check.

I have a straight draw and a low flush draw, but betting into a possible made flush risks an expensive response. Checking preserves the chance to see the river for free.

I hold 7-6 with only a weak gutshot to a straight, and seat_1 has shown weakness by checking, so checking to see the river for free is the sensible line.

Seven-high has almost no showdown value. After two streets of checks, a small river bluff can fold out missed draws and some ace-high hands.

My 7-6 has only high-card value on a paired-free board with no made straight, and seat_1's river bet of 350 into 850 likely represents a stronger hand, so folding avoids a costly call.