Hold'em table

QJ offsuit is a strong enough button opening hand three-handed. Raising applies pressure and builds the pot with a hand that has good high-card and straight potential.

75o from the small blind facing a button open, with the big blind still to act behind, is a clear fold; it's out of position and too weak to call or 3-bet.

7-2 offsuit is too weak to defend the big blind against a 2.5bb button raise.

In 3-handed play, 54o on the button sits at the edge of a standard opening range, and it has position against both blinds. A small open to 2.5bb applies fold pressure while keeping the price low if we get 3-bet.

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

T7 offsuit is too weak to defend against a button raise from the big blind, especially out of position.

K4 offsuit is playable on the button three-handed. An open-raise gives me a chance to win the blinds and keeps the initiative in position.

8-high suited with a weak kicker performs poorly against a button open from the small blind, especially with the big blind still behind.

AKo is well ahead of a wide button opening range in 3-handed play, so 3-betting for value from the big blind is standard. Going to 10bb accounts for being out of position.

K4 offsuit is too weak to continue against a large three-bet, even in position.

6-4 offsuit is too weak to open from the button against two blinds at this stack depth.

A9o is a strong hand blind-vs-blind after the button folds, so raising to 3bb for value and initiative beats just completing.

Q8 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a small-blind raise, and I’ll have position postflop.

As the preflop raiser on a dry K-high board that favors my range, a small c-bet of a third pot works well with ace-high, backdoor equity and the wheel gutshot. It also puts pressure on the big blind's many weak hands.

The small flop bet gives me a reasonable price to continue in position. Queen-high can still be ahead of some bluffs, and I can reassess on the turn.

The heart on the turn gives me the nut flush draw plus an ace overcard, so this is a strong semi-bluff barrel. Betting can fold out weaker pairs and still build the pot for when I hit.

With queen-high and no meaningful draw against a substantial turn bet, folding preserves chips.

KQs on the button in 3-handed play is a strong open, so I'm raising to 2.5bb to take the initiative and put pressure on the blinds.

Q2 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still to act.

Defend the big blind versus the button min-raise with suited T8, which has adequate playability and pot odds heads-up.

Check the open-ended straight draw on this coordinated flop and retain flexibility versus the button's continuation bet.

The nut-ish flush draw plus two overcards makes a strong semi-bluff in position. A bet of about two-thirds pot wins fold equity and builds the pot for when we hit.)

We have an open-ended straight draw with additional pair potential, and the bet size gives reasonable immediate and implied odds. Calling keeps weaker hands and bluffs in while preserving flexibility on later streets.

I have a made nine-high straight on a wet board and should value-bet while charging club and diamond draws.

Top pair with top kicker plus a flush draw is strong, but on this coordinated board raising would mostly fold out weaker hands while getting called by straights and sets. Calling keeps the pot controlled and lets me realize my strong equity.

I have a ten-high straight, the best possible straight on this board aside from a chop with another T8. A moderate value bet can be called by sets, two pair, and lower straights.

Top pair with a king kicker getting about 4:1 against a roughly half-pot river lead. Villain's range still includes missed club draws and weaker Qx, so this is a clear bluff-catch rather than a fold or a raise.

On the button, 9♦4♦ is playable as a small open with position and no rake.

Ah6s has sufficient equity and playability to defend the small blind against a button min-raise, especially with the big blind still in. Calling keeps the pot manageable.

I'm getting 5:1 closing the action in a multiway pot from the big blind, and 86o has enough playability to call the min-raise. Three-betting would be too loose against a button raise and a small-blind call. Being out of position hurts, but the price justifies it. I'll look to connect well on the flop.

A-high has limited immediate value in a three-way pot on this connected flop. Checking preserves equity and avoids building a pot with little made-hand strength.

Middle pair with a weak kicker in a three-way pot, with the preflop raiser still to act behind me. Checking controls the pot and keeps my hand as a bluff-catcher.

Top pair benefits from a modest value-and-protection bet after both blinds check. I can reassess if either opponent raises.

Ace-high with no meaningful draw is too weak to continue against a multiway flop continuation bet.

Middle pair plus a gutshot (needs a 7) against a small c-bet of 250 into 600 gives a good price, so calling beats folding. Raising would mostly fold out worse hands and get called by better ones.

Middle pair on a paired board is a pot-control hand out of position, so checking keeps the pot small and lets us bluff-catch against the button's small c-bet range.

Top pair is likely ahead of many flop calls, including eights and draws. A moderate turn bet gets value and charges draws without committing too much with a weak kicker.

Second pair on a dry paired board. The button has been betting small, and calling 500 into 2100 needs only about 24% equity. Our hand has enough showdown value to call rather than fold or turn it into a bluff with a raise.

Our hand plays as nines and eights, a medium-strength showdown hand. It beats bluffs and small pairs but loses to any 9 or an overpair. Checking lets the aggressor bluff with air and avoids getting raised off the best hand.

My full house is ahead of most hands that called the flop and turn. A bet just under half the pot can get value from a deuce, an eight, or an overpair without relying on a large call.

I have nines and eights with a 6 kicker. Facing a bet of under half the pot, I need only about 24% equity to call, and villain's steady small bets include enough bluffs and weaker hands to justify it.