Hold'em table

Open-raising suited connected cards on the button gives us initiative and strong positional playability.

K2 offsuit from the small blind against a button open is too weak to call out of position with the big blind still to act, and it's a poor 3-bet candidate. Folding is the standard play.

J8s is playable and I'm getting good pot odds to call the small raise, so I'll see a flop in position relative to the raiser.

I have only J-high with a paired board and no made hand, so checking gives me a free card to try to improve.

A small continuation bet applies pressure to unpaired overcards and denies equity while risking little on this paired, dry board.

A9s on the button in a 3-handed game is a clear open-raise; a 2.5bb size pressures both blinds.

T2o is too weak to continue against a raise, especially out of position, so I fold and preserve chips.

Defend the big blind against the button's small raise with J9 suited, which has solid playability heads-up.

Check with middle pair and a gutshot, keeping the pot controlled while allowing the preflop raiser to continue with weaker hands or bluffs.

A9c on QJ7 with a gutshot (T), backdoor flush draw and ace overcard; a small c-bet in position gets folds and builds the pot when we hit our draws.

I have top pair plus a gutshot straight draw in a heads-up pot. Calling keeps weaker hands and bluffs in while avoiding needlessly inflating the pot.

We have two pair on a paired, coordinated board and should value-bet against queens, worse jacks, and drawing hands while charging straight draws.

Ace-high with no real draw against a check-call followed by a turn lead; there's too little equity to call 700 into 1950, and bluff-raising into a range that has shown this much strength is unwise.

J9o is playable from the button with position, and I'm getting good pot odds to see a flop for just one big blind. Calling keeps the pot small and lets me use position postflop.

Complete from the small blind at a favorable price; Q-high has enough equity to see a multiway flop.

64o is weak; checking the option in a limped pot keeps the pot small and lets me see a flop for free.

With a weak pair on a coordinated monotone board in a three-way limped pot, checking controls the pot and avoids facing unnecessary resistance.

A pair of fours with a gutshot to the 3 on a monotone, low board is decent in a three-way limped pot. A small bet charges overcards and weak diamonds cheaply while keeping the pot manageable.

I have a flush draw with the Jd plus an overcard, and I'm getting good pot odds to continue. Calling keeps the pot manageable while I see the turn in position.

Call the small continuation bet with bottom pair at an excellent price in this multiway pot. Raising on a monotone board would overrepresent our hand.

With a weak pair and no diamond on a four-diamond board in a multiway pot, checking controls the pot and avoids betting into likely flushes.

With four diamonds on board and no diamond in my hand, my pair of fours and straight draw are weak in a three-way pot, since any single diamond beats me. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me take a free card.

Our pair has little showdown value against the ranges that called the flop, while both opponents checking the turn leaves meaningful capped, non-diamond holdings. A moderate river bluff can fold out missed overcards and weak pairs without risking an excessive amount.

With four diamonds on board, a pair of fours is too weak to call a river lead of more than half the pot, and seat 3 is still to act behind me.

K8 offsuit is a reasonable button opening hand in three-handed play and benefits from initiative and position.

42s from the small blind facing a button open to 2.5bb, with the big blind still left to act, is a clear fold; it is out of position and too weak to call or 3-bet profitably.

Pocket threes are worth calling 150 more with good pot odds and the chance to flop a set. Folding is too weak and raising overcommits a marginal hand out of position.

We have a weak pair of threes on a board with a queen and nine, likely behind the opponent's preflop raising range. Checking avoids committing more chips with a marginal hand.

A small continuation bet leverages the range advantage of the preflop raiser on this Q-high board while risking little with king-high and backdoor diamond potential.

My pocket 3s are weak on this board, and I have no draws. Folding is the best play to avoid losing more chips.

K7s on the button in a 3-handed game is a clear opening hand, so I'm raising to 2.5bb to take the initiative against the blinds.

A8s is strong enough to call the button's open, and I avoid bloating the pot out of position. I'll see a flop and play postflop.

QJo has sufficient equity to defend the big blind at this favorable price, especially with the dead money from the small blind caller. Calling keeps the pot manageable out of position.

I have top pair with a reasonable kicker and should charge weaker queens, straight draws, and single-club hands. A moderate bet keeps value hands involved while limiting exposure on the monotone board.

King-high with no club on a monotone club board and only a backdoor straight draw; facing a bet with a player still behind, calling is clearly unprofitable.

Ace-high with no club on a monotone board is too weak to continue against a flop bet; folding preserves chips.

Pocket fours are worth completing from the small blind heads-up at this price, with set value and decent showdown equity.

A6 suited is well ahead of a small-blind limping range, so raising for value and initiative from the big blind is best. A raise to 4x punishes the limp.