Hold'em table

On the button in a three-handed game, J5 offsuit is playable as a modest open-raise. Position gives it a chance to win the blinds or play a manageable pot.

72o in the small blind facing a button open with the big blind still to act is a clear fold.

8-5 offsuit is too weak to defend against a button raise at this sizing from the big blind.

In 3-handed play, K3o on the button is a standard open-raise. It has king-high equity and gets fold equity against both blinds.

7-2 offsuit is an extremely weak hand facing an open raise from the small blind, so folding preserves chips.

8-3 offsuit is too weak to defend out of position against a 2.5 big-blind raise.

Q3 offsuit is too weak to profitably enter against two blinds at this stack depth.

A7 offsuit is strong enough to raise heads-up against the big blind, with a chance to win the pot immediately.

JTs in the big blind against a small-blind open to 3x has plenty of equity and playability getting 3:1 on the call, and I'll have position postflop. Calling beats folding, and flatting keeps the small blind's weaker hands in the pot.

Bottom pair and a low flush draw have useful equity, but this connected flop favors the big blind's calling range. Checking controls the pot and preserves the option to continue against a reasonable bet.

I flopped the nut straight on a wet board with a heart flush draw possible. Betting for value and protection makes sense when checked to, rather than slowplaying.

Bottom pair with an ace kicker has enough equity to continue against a single flop bet, especially when the big blind can bet draws and unpaired hands on this board.

My bottom pair is weak on this connected board, and the heart draw may be dominated. Checking controls the pot while preserving a chance to improve on the river.

We hold a J-high straight; bet for value against draws and weaker made hands while staying cautious of a heart flush.

The turn completes several straights, and my pair of sevens is weak against a second sizable bet. My flush draw is not to the nuts, so calling offers too little value against a strong betting range.

J8 offsuit is a reasonable button open in a three-handed game. Raising gives us a chance to take the blinds while retaining position if called.

94o in the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still to act behind, is a clear fold; it is too weak to call out of position or to 3-bet.

K8 suited has enough equity and playability to defend the big blind against a button min-open-sized raise heads-up.

Check to the preflop raiser with an open-ended straight draw and avoid inflating the pot out of position.

Middle pair with a gutshot has showdown value, but this coordinated flop connects with many big-blind hands. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me see a turn in position.

Betting our open-ended straight draw applies pressure to missed hands and can deny equity while retaining strong improvement potential.

I have a pair of jacks and a gutshot straight draw. Calling keeps weaker hands and draws in while letting me use position on the river.

We have a king-high straight on this coordinated river and should value bet against two-pair, sets, and lower straight holdings. A moderate sizing can still be called by worse while limiting exposure to a higher straight.

I have a queen-high straight. Raising risks getting action mainly from a king-high straight, while calling captures value from weaker bets and bluffs.

Pocket tens on the button in a 3-handed game is a strong hand, so I'm opening with a standard 2.5bb raise for value.

J4 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still behind.

J2 suited has enough equity to defend the big blind against a button raise, especially with the small blind's chips in the pot.

With bottom pair on a queen-high flop, I prefer to check out of position and avoid building a large pot.

TT is second pair below the queen on a two-tone board, and BB checked to us. A small bet of about 36% pot gets value and protection against overcards and weaker pairs while keeping the pot controlled.}

Bottom pair with a decent kicker and a backdoor diamond draw has enough equity to call this small flop bet.

Bottom pair is a weak bluff-catcher on a paired, three-spade board. Checking avoids building the pot out of position.

TT has showdown value but gets called mainly by better hands (Qx, trips, flushes) on this spade-heavy paired turn, so I check back for pot control.

My jack kicker has some showdown value on the double-paired board. Betting is unlikely to fold out enough better hands, so I’ll check.

Our queens-and-tens beats Ax and small pocket pairs, which can call a small bet. The opponent checked on both the turn and the river, so a small thin value bet should work while limiting losses against trips or a flush.

The river counterfeits my pair of twos, but my jack plays as a kicker. The small bet gives me enough pot odds to call against possible bluffs and weaker kickers.

K9 offsuit is a profitable button open three-handed, with positional advantage against both blinds. I raise to a standard 2.5bb size.

J3 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

A4o in the big blind against a 2.5x button open is a clear defend: I'm getting good pot odds (150 to win 400), and the hand has decent equity against a wide button range. Calling is standard here, with a mix of 3-bets as an alternative.

Ace high with a gutshot (needs a 6) is out of position on a board that favors the button's range. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me realize my equity, and I can continue against a small c-bet.

I have middle pair with a strong kicker and backdoor heart potential. A moderate continuation bet pressures overcards and weaker unpaired holdings while building value against worse pairs and draws.

Ace-high with no real draw (only backdoor straight potential) out of position on a coordinated board facing a c-bet; there isn't enough equity to continue profitably.