Hold'em table

On the button in a 3-handed game, K5o is worth an open-raise to apply pressure and take the initiative. A small raise to 250 limits risk while giving me position and a chance to win the blinds preflop.

Ace-jack offsuit is a strong enough hand to continue against a button open of 250 for only 200 more, getting good pot odds in a three-way pot.

54 offsuit plays poorly out of position against two opponents. The price is tempting, but its equity is difficult to realize.

I have ace-high with an open-ended straight draw (J-T-9), but I'm first to act out of position against a preflop raiser, so checking keeps the pot small and lets me see the turn cheaply.

With K-high and no strong draw on a coordinated flop, checking in position keeps the pot small and avoids risking chips against a calling range that connects with T-9-6.

I have only ace-high with no made hand on a T-6-9-5 board, so checking keeps the pot small and avoids bloating it against a player who may have a better holding.

Opponent has checked twice, showing weakness, so I will bet my middle pair for value and protection against draws. If raised, I can fold.

Ace-high with no pair or strong draw facing a turn raise of 400 into a 1000 pot; my equity is below the roughly 28% needed to call profitably against a likely strong betting range.

Ten-deuce offsuit is a weak hand that is unlikely to be profitable against the blinds, so folding avoids putting 100 chips in with poor equity.

K8 suited is strong enough to raise heads-up against the big blind. Raising to 300 gives me a chance to win the pot now while building value when called.

Closing the action with 200 to call into 400, 68o has enough equity against a likely wide small-blind raise, and I have position postflop.

Top pair can get value from tens and draws. A small bet also keeps the pot manageable with a weak kicker.

I have 8-high with no pair or strong draw on a king-high flop, and seat_3 has shown strength by raising preflop and betting the flop. Folding avoids putting more chips in with very little equity.

Four-deuce offsuit is too weak to open from the button, even three-handed.

AKs is a premium hand in a 3-handed pot; button folded, so I make a standard raise to apply pressure and build the pot against the big blind.

Calling 200 into a 400 pot is about 33% pot odds, and King-high has reasonable equity against a wide small-blind raise in a three-handed pot. Folding is also defensible, but the price makes calling acceptable.

I raised preflop with AK and the flop misses my hand, but a half-pot continuation bet can fold out better unpaired hands and take down the pot. If called or raised, I can reassess on later streets.

Calling 300 into a 900 pot is cheap; King-high with a backdoor diamond flush draw gives a reasonable price to continue against a possible c-bet.

I have a strong semi-bluffing hand with a club flush draw, gutshot straight draw, and two overcards. Betting the turn applies pressure and builds the pot while I have substantial equity if called.

I have only King-high with no pair or real draw on a 5-T-9-J board, and facing a 900 turn bet into a 2100 pot I need roughly 30% equity, so folding is correct against a three-barrel line.

Pocket eights on the button in a 3-handed game are strong enough to raise for value and take the initiative. A 3x raise to 300 applies pressure and builds the pot with a likely equity edge.

With 2d9h, an offsuit trash hand out of position facing a 300 raise from the button, folding is the disciplined choice rather than paying 250 more to see a flop.

J8 offsuit has enough equity against a typical button opening range to defend the big blind for 200 more chips.

I have a gutshot straight draw but no made hand. Checking avoids building the pot out of position.

I raised preflop and now have second pair on a draw-heavy board; betting can get value from worse pairs and deny equity to overcards or straight draws.

The gutshot, two overcards, and backdoor flush possibilities give this hand enough equity to continue against a button continuation bet.

I have only a gutshot and weak showdown value. Checking avoids building a large pot out of position while preserving the chance to improve.

I have middle pair (88) on a 4-9-7-5 board with an open-ended straight draw. Checking the turn keeps the pot controlled and avoids getting raised off my draw, while I can still call a bet or value bet the river if I improve.

Top pair with a weak kicker has showdown value, but betting risks getting called by better jacks. Checking keeps weaker hands and potential bluffs in the pot.

With 88 on a 4-9-7-5-J board, I have a weak pair and my opponent has checked. Checking behind controls the pot and avoids getting raised by a stronger hand.

Facing only the big blind on the button, the price is cheap at 100 chips to see a flop with a king-high offsuit hand in a multiway pot. Folding is too tight here, so I'll call.

Calling 50 gives a favorable price to see a flop with J4 offsuit. Raising would build a larger pot out of position with a weak hand.

With 5d9d, a speculative hand out of position against two callers, checking to see a cheap flop is optimal.

J-4 has no pair or meaningful draw on this flop. Checking avoids committing chips against two opponents.

With 9-high and only a backdoor flush draw on a Q-high flop, checking keeps the pot small and avoids building a pot out of position with a weak hand.

I have a pair of sixes with a king kicker on a three-way pot, which is medium-strength, so I'll check to control the pot and see what the others do.

J-high with a gutshot is too weak to bet into two opponents. Checking preserves the option to see a free river.

I have a strong draw (flush draw plus straight outs) and both opponents checked, so a semi-bluff bet can take the pot down or set up a river win if called.

I have a pair of sixes on a board with no obvious draws, and calling 200 into a 700 pot needs only about 29% equity, so calling is reasonable against a turn bet.

A gutshot and weak overcard are not enough to call a turn bet with another player already in the pot.

I missed my flush draw and have only 9-high, so I have no showdown value. I will check and plan to fold if seat_2 bets.

I hold two pair, sixes and sevens with a king kicker, which is likely best against a turn raise followed by a river check. A half-pot value bet should get called by weaker pairs and worse two pairs.

I missed my flush draw and have only nine-high on a paired board. Facing a river bet after my turn semi-bluff was called, calling or raising with no showdown value is not profitable.

Q4 offsuit is a marginal but playable button open three-handed. Raising gives me a chance to win the blinds while retaining position if called.

76o is too weak to call a button raise from the small blind, especially with the big blind still to act and poor postflop position. Folding avoids investing more chips in a marginal spot.

Facing a 150-chip call into a 400-chip pot as the big blind, the price is good enough to continue with 7-6 offsuit against a button open.

I have 7-6 offsuit with no pair or draw on a T-8-K flop, and I can check for free as the big blind, so checking is the lowest-risk option.

Q-high has little immediate equity on this connected flop, and the big blind's calling range often connects with it. Checking back keeps the pot small and lets me see a turn for free.

I hold 7-6 with no pair or draw, and checking is free with to_call at 0, so checking keeps the hand cheap while avoiding a bluff into two opponents.

A turn bet can fold out some better high-card hands, while my heart gives me a flush draw when called.

I have only a gutshot straight draw with 4 outs, which is about 9% to hit on the river. Calling 350 into a 900 pot needs roughly 28% equity, so folding is the correct play.