Hold'em table

Opening from the button is profitable with a wide range in three-handed play, and raising applies pressure to the blinds while preserving position postflop.

5-3 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still to act.

Getting 400:150 from the big blind against a button open of 2.5x, T5 suited is a profitable defend heads-up. Calling is better than folding, and a 3-bet with this hand would be too loose.

Weak holding with only a gutshot to a 7 and a backdoor flush draw, out of position against the button's range on a Q-high board, so check to the preflop raiser.

Make a small continuation bet on a dry flop where my preflop range has an advantage, aiming to fold out hands that missed. K-high also retains some chance to improve.

Facing a small bet, I need about 20% equity. Ten-high with a backdoor flush draw, some runner-runner straight outs and an overcard should get there against a wide button c-bet range, so a call is fine.

Ten-high with no draw on a paired board after a flop check-call; there is little fold equity against the preflop raiser's range, so check and give up to meaningful aggression.

I have only king-high and no meaningful draw, while the flop caller can have a queen or an eight. Checking takes a free river and preserves my remaining showdown equity without investing more in a low-equity bluff.

Ten-high has no showdown value, and the button's turn check-back caps its range. The river ace is a good card to represent, so a two-thirds pot bluff can fold out many medium pairs.

The river lead on the ace strongly favors the caller’s Ax and 8x value hands, while my weak pair of eights has poor showdown value and blocks some natural king-high bluffs. I fold rather than pay off this sizing.

T6 suited is a reasonable button open three-handed. Raising to 250 gives me a chance to win the blinds while retaining position postflop.

J8s from the small blind facing a button open in 3-handed play is a reasonable 3-bet bluff candidate with good playability, and 3-betting avoids playing out of position in a multiway pot with the BB behind. Sizing to 10bb applies pressure on a wide button range.

A 77 is a marginal hand facing a large 3-bet, with the original raiser still to act. Calling 9 more big blinds risks entering a multiway pot while likely behind a strong range.

T6 suited is too weak to continue against this large three-bet, even in position.

Three-handed, the button should open wide, and suited J4 is a reasonable steal candidate against the two blinds. A small 2.5bb open keeps the risk low.

8♣4♠ is too weak to continue against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act. Fold and avoid investing more from the small blind.

A2 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a button min-plus raise, and calling keeps the pot manageable out of position.

With ace-high on a paired flop, I can check and evaluate the button's action rather than build the pot out of position.

Flush draw plus overcard on a paired board checked to me in position; a small c-bet folds out many hands and has strong equity when called.

The small flop bet offers good pot odds. Ace-high can still be ahead of some of the button's range, so I’ll call and reassess on the turn.

Ace-high has some showdown value, but this paired turn does not justify building the pot out of position. Checking keeps the pot manageable.

Semi-bluffing with the club flush draw (9 outs): the bet can fold out 7x and weak pairs while building a pot that pays off if the flush comes. The king is also a good barrel card for my range.

Ace-high has no meaningful draw on this board, and calling the turn bet is unlikely to be profitable against a second barrel.

T9 offsuit is a reasonable button open in a three-handed game. A modest raise applies pressure to the blinds while keeping weaker hands in the range.

Ace-king offsuit is strong against a button opening range. A sizable three-bet from the small blind builds value and discourages the big blind from entering cheaply.

85o facing an open and a big 3-bet with the opener still to act is a clear fold.

T9 offsuit is too weak to continue against a substantial small-blind 3-bet, even with position. Calling would pay 850 chips with poor equity against a typical 3-betting range.

Q7 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed, where position helps offset its modest strength.

J5s from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still left to act behind, is a marginal hand that plays poorly out of position. Folding is standard, though a 3-bet bluff is occasionally possible.

A♦Q♦ is a strong hand against a button open, so 3-bet for value and initiative. Raising to 900 puts pressure on the opener while keeping plenty of room to play postflop.

Q7 offsuit is too weak to call a 3-bet to 900, even in position.

Three-handed on the button, Q6o sits near the bottom of a standard opening range, and folds from both blinds are worth a lot. A small open to 2.5bb puts pressure on the blinds cheaply.

J5 suited is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

Q3 suited has enough equity to defend the big blind against a button raise to 250, given the price.

With no pair, no immediate straight or flush draw, and the preflop raiser in position, I’ll check rather than build the pot.

The dry ace-high board favors my button opening range, so a small c-bet with the Q-high gutshot to K-J works as a cheap bluff with some equity. At about a third of the pot, the bet should fold out many BB hands that missed.

Q-high has no pair or immediate draw on this ace-high flop. Calling out of position offers too little value despite the small bet.