Hold'em table

On the button in 3-handed play, ATo is a clear open-raise for value and position.

7-2 offsuit is too weak to continue from the small blind against a button raise; calling would put more chips in out of position.

JTo is playable in the big blind against a button open, and calling 150 into a 400 pot keeps the hand in a favorable position without bloating it.

I have top pair with a jack kicker on a two-heart flop, so I lead for value and protection rather than give a free card. A half-pot bet keeps worse pairs and draws in while building the pot.

I hold top pair, top kicker in position against a donk bet. Calling keeps their range wide and allows me to control the pot while retaining positional advantage.

I have only a pair of tens on an ace-high board, so I check for pot control and to realize showdown value rather than bet into a scare card.

I turned top two pair on a draw-heavy board after calling a flop donk bet. Betting two-thirds pot targets value from Ax, Tx, and heart flush draws.

Second pair with no draw on an ace turn, out of position against the preflop raiser's two-thirds-pot bet. Too often dominated by an ace to continue.

KTo is a strong button-open in a three-handed game. Raise to 2.5 big blinds for value and to apply pressure to the blinds.

Q5 offsuit is too weak to continue from the small blind against a button raise, especially out of position. Folding avoids putting more chips in with a dominated, poorly connected hand.

K2o is too weak to defend out of position against a 2.5bb button open.

Q2 offsuit is too weak to open from the button in a three-handed pot; it is dominated often and plays poorly postflop, so folding is the higher-EV choice.

K3o is too weak to profitably open or complete from the small blind out of position, making a fold standard.

Opening from the button with T9o is standard in 3-handed play to apply pressure and play in position.

Five-six offsuit is too weak to defend against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

K8o is playable enough against a 2bb button open: the price is only 100 into 350, and folding this often would be too tight in three-handed.

King-high with no pair or draw on an ace-high flop is too weak to bet into the preflop raiser, and checking is free.

I have middle pair on an Ace-high board; checking back controls the pot and allows me to realize my showdown value.

King-high has little value on a paired-ace board, and a turn bet is unlikely to fold better hands after both players checked the flop. Checking keeps the pot small and preserves a free river.

We hold second pair on a paired board; checking behind controls the pot and safely realizes showdown value in position.

King-high has no showdown value to bet for, and a bluff only folds out hands I already beat while getting called by pairs and aces. Checking is the highest-EV line.

I have two pair, Aces and Nines, with good showdown value. Betting unlikely gets called by worse hands after checking all streets, so checking behind to see showdown is optimal.

K♠Q♥ is a strong hand to raise from the button in a three-handed game. A raise to 300 puts pressure on the blinds while keeping weaker hands in the pot.

73 offsuit is too weak to continue against a button open; folding the small blind is the highest-EV line.

K2o is too weak to defend out of position against a 3x button open.

83 offsuit is too weak to open even on the button; folding avoids putting chips in with a hand that plays poorly postflop.

Q6o is too weak to profitably complete or raise out of position against the big blind.