Hold'em table

On the button in 3-handed play, 87o is a reasonable speculative hand. Calling 100 to win a 250 pot is a cheap price, and I have position after the flop.

Completing costs 50 chips into a 250-chip pot. Despite the positional disadvantage, the price is good enough to see a flop with T5 offsuit.

With pocket threes in the big blind in a limped multiway pot, checking to see a free flop for set-mining value is the best play.

Middle pair with a weak kicker is worth continuing cautiously in a three-way pot, but not building the pot out of position.

Holding an underpair on an Ace-high multiway board, checking is standard.

Both opponents checked the Ace-high flop, so a small bet with a gutshot straight draw (7-8 with T on board needs a 9 and 6... actually open-ended-ish backdoor) can win the pot on my button position. Risk is small relative to the 300 pot.”}</br>{

Middle pair has enough showdown value to call a half-pot bet, but the weak kicker and player still to act make raising unattractive.

Holding an underpair of threes on an ace-high flop facing a bet and a call gives near-zero equity, making an easy fold.

My pair of tens and low heart draw have some showdown value, but betting into the flop bettor on this ace-king board risks building a pot against stronger hands.

I have 7c8s with no pair on a Td 4h Ah Kh board, so I hold air with a backdoor-free draw at best. Seat 2 checked the turn after only calling a small flop bet, so they likely have a weak range. A half-pot bet of 300 into the 600 pot should make them fold hands like a small pair or a weak draw, and it costs little if called. ,

Third pair with a weak kicker is unlikely to be ahead often enough against a flop bet and turn barrel on this board, and I have few ways to improve.

JTo is strong enough to open on the button three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

96o is too weak to call or 3-bet out of position against a button raise.

K5o is weak; I'd be out of position against a button raise to 2.5bb and it plays poorly. The price is 150 to win 400, but the hand's equity and postflop playability are poor, so fold.

65 offsuit is too weak to open even from the button in a 3-handed game.

Ah7s is a strong hand heads-up against the big blind after the button folded. Raising to 3bb from the small blind puts pressure on the big blind and builds a pot with a favorable hand.

K2 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a small-blind raise, and I’ll have position after the flop.

Ace-high with a backdoor draw on a Jd 5d 4c board. Heads-up as the preflop raiser, a small continuation bet of half the pot takes the pot often and builds equity against weak holdings while risking little. Actually keep it simple: bet 300.

King-high with no diamond has little chance to improve on this board, and calling the flop bet would often leave difficult decisions on later streets.

Q8s on the button in a 3-handed game is a playable hand with good position, and calling 100 into a 150 pot gives a good price. A raise is marginal, so I take the cheap flop.

J9 suited is strong enough to isolate a button limp three-handed. Raising pressures the big blind and builds the pot against a likely weak limping range.

Holding T2o in the big blind against an SB raise and BTN limp is an easy fold due to poor playability and equity.

Q8s is marginal out of position against a small blind's 4.5x raise; the call needs 350 more to win a pot of 650, and I would be playing without initiative, so I fold.

Q7 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed. A 2.5 big blind raise puts pressure on the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

Q7o is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button open, especially being out of position with the big blind left to act.

5-9 offsuit is a weak hand. Calling 150 more to win a 400 pot means about 27% equity is needed, and I would be out of position against a button opener. Folding is the simplest choice.

Opening K5s from the button is standard in 3-handed play to steal blinds or play in position.

Q8s out of position from the small blind, facing a button open with the big blind still to act, is a marginal hand that plays poorly. Folding is the simplest choice.

A3 suited is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button raise. Calling keeps weaker hands in without building a large pot out of position.

With bottom pair and an ace kicker, I have some showdown value but little reason to build the pot out of position. Checking lets me evaluate the button’s action.

We hold top pair on a dry board in position; placing a small c-bet targets value from second-best pairs and float floats.

Bottom pair with an ace kicker is worth defending against a small continuation bet on this dry flop. Raising would likely fold out worse hands and get action from better ones.

My low two pair has showdown value, but it is behind a king or a nine. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me respond to a bet.

I have top pair with a weak kicker on a paired board; checking behind controls the pot size and realizes showdown value safely against check-raises.

My two pair has some showdown value, but a bet is unlikely to get called by worse hands often enough. Checking also avoids building the pot against a king or a stronger pair.

I have top pair with a weak kicker on a paired board; checking behind allows me to realize good showdown value without value-owning myself against better Kings or slow-played trips.