Hold'em table

On the button in a 3-handed game, A4o is strong enough to open-raise for value and to take initiative with position. A standard 3bb raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

85 offsuit is too weak to defend against a 3bb button raise from the small blind, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids investing more chips with poor playability out of position.

A2o suited with an ace is a fine defend in the big blind against a button 3x open with 2.5-to-1 pot odds, so I call.

Ace-high on a paired 7-5-7 board with a wheel draw (A-2 plus 5) has some showdown value, but I'm out of position against the preflop raiser. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me realize equity without bloating it.}

I raised preflop and the big blind checked on a paired low board; a small continuation bet can fold out overcards and weaker hands while protecting my ace-high equity.

Ace-high with a wheel draw backdoor on a paired 7-5-7 board; calling 300 into a 950 pot (about 24% equity needed) is fine against a wide button c-bet range, and the ace blocker plus some outs give enough equity to continue.

Top pair with ace on a paired board; the opponent's flop c-bet range is wide, and I checked the flop and called, so a turn lead for value and protection at about half the pot is reasonable. The ace kicker is weak, but betting is better than checking into a button that can barrel.

I have two pair (aces and sevens) with position, but the paired board and seat_3's turn lead mean raising may only get called by trips or better. Calling controls the pot while keeping worse hands and bluffs in.

I have aces full of sevens, which is nearly the nuts. Betting about 65% of the pot should get value from the Ax, 7x, or pocket pairs that the button may hold.

We have Aces full of sevens, losing only to quad 7s. Shoving maximizes value from worse full houses and trips that may call, while a call would leave chips behind against a very strong hand.

I have aces full of sevens (Ah with Ad and Ac on the board, plus the pair of sevens). Only quad aces (As) or quad sevens with a pocket pair of sevens beat it, so calling the all-in is clearly correct.

Q3 suited is a reasonable button open three-handed, benefiting from position and suited equity. Raising to 2.5 big blinds pressures the blinds while keeping the investment modest.

Q9o from the small blind facing a button raise to 250 with the big blind still to act behind is weak, and I'd be out of position postflop, so I fold.

T3o is a weak offsuit hand out of position against a button raise; folding avoids playing a dominated, low-equity hand.

On the button with 6-5 suited-ish connector (offsuit actually), a call at 100 into a 150 pot gets a good price and position against two blinds; raising is marginal. Calling sees a flop cheaply.

7h3d is a very weak offsuit hand with poor playability, and calling from the small blind would leave me out of position with little chance to profitably continue on most flops.

Q8 offsuit is a marginal hand to raise out of position against a button limp. Checking preserves chips and lets me see the flop for free.

With queen-high and only a gutshot straight draw, checking preserves chips and avoids building a pot out of position on an ace-high board.

I have 5s6h on a 9-A-J board with no pair and no real draw. Checking behind is safest, since a bet would risk chips with little equity against a hand that checked.

The button’s flop check-back makes a turn probe attractive, and the seven connects well with my big-blind range. Betting can fold out better high-card hands while retaining a gutshot draw if called.

I have 6-5 on a 9-A-J-7 board with two diamonds, which gives an open-ended straight draw with 8 outs (8 completes 5-6-7-8-9, and 4 does not complete anything since 4-5-6-7 needs 3 or 8). Getting 400+150 into 150 means roughly 27% pot odds needed, and the draw plus implied odds make calling reasonable against a small bet.

The river completes my queen-high straight, beaten only by KQ. A roughly three-quarter-pot value bet can get calls from aces, two pair, sets, and lower straights.

I have 6-high with no pair and no draw, so I can't win at showdown except against a pure bluff. The call needs about 30% equity, and a raise bluff needs the villain to fold nearly half the time. Folding is best.

K5o on the button is marginal but playable; raising to 300 applies pressure, takes initiative, and leverages position.

T4 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a 3bb button raise, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids investing more chips with poor equity realization out of position.

Q6o in the big blind facing a button min-ish raise to 300 with the small blind folded; pot odds are 450+200 to call 200, about 3.25:1, so the hand has enough equity to defend against a wide button range. Calling is better than folding, and a 3-bet with a weak hand is unattractive.

I have only a queen-high with a backdoor-ish club draw (6c, with three clubs on board gives me a flush draw to the 6-high, which is weak). Out of position against the button's preflop raiser on an Ace-high board, checking is the sensible way to realize equity cheaply.

I have a weak flush draw and an overcard on a monotone flop; checking behind controls the pot and lets me see a free turn.

I have only queen-high with a backdoor-less flush draw gone, and a gutshot to a Jack for Broadway (Q-K-A-T needs J). The button checked the flop, so betting could work as a bluff, but a free card with a gutshot is reasonable and keeps the pot small.

I have middle pair on a coordinated board with three clubs. Checking controls the pot and avoids getting raised by a flush or a stronger ace.

Queen-high on an A-K-T-8-3 board with three clubs is almost certainly behind any pair, and it can only beat a pure bluff. A thin bluff into a player who checked twice isn't worthwhile, so I take the free showdown.

With a marginal pair of kings on a coordinated board and the opponent checking all streets, checking behind realizes showdown value without risking a raise from a flush or ace.

K2 offsuit is a marginal button opening hand with poor playability and frequent domination when called. With no information suggesting the blinds overfold, I prefer folding this weak holding.

Small blind with 3d5c needs only 50 more to call into a pot of 150, which is about 3-to-1 odds in a heads-up spot against the big blind. The hand is weak but has enough playability and equity to complete rather than fold.

With K7o in the big blind and no call required, checking keeps the pot small and realizes equity in position against the small blind's limp.

I have bottom pair (a pair of fives) on a 9-5-Q flop with a flush draw-free board, heads-up and first to act. A small bet of 100 into a 200 pot gets value from worse pairs and draws, and it protects my hand cheaply.

K-high with no pair or strong draw on a Q-high flop is too weak to continue against a bet, even a small one. Folding avoids chasing with minimal equity.

7-6 offsuit on the button in a 3-handed pot is a marginal hand, but the price is only 100 into a 250 pot with position, so a call is reasonable. Raising would put too much at risk with a weak hand.

6-2 suited is too weak to defend from the small blind against a call and the big blind, especially out of position.

J4 offsuit is too weak to profitably raise out of position against the button's limp. Checking lets me see the flop without investing additional chips.

J-high has no immediate draw and very little equity on this connected, two-spade flop. Checking avoids investing chips out of position with a poor bluff candidate.

I have a pair of sevens plus a gutshot/open-ended draw feel (7h6c on 8-3-7 gives top-two... actually middle pair with 6 for a straight draw). Heads-up in position after a check, a small bet at 150 into 250 charges draws and gets value from worse hands.

J-high with no meaningful draw is too weak to continue against this bet. Out of position, neither calling nor bluff-raising offers a compelling advantage.