Hold'em table

T4 suited is a marginal but playable button open three-handed. A small raise pressures the blinds while limiting investment and preserving our positional advantage if called.

K-3 offsuit is too weak to call a button raise from the small blind with the big blind still to act.

Q6 offsuit is too weak to defend profitably out of position versus the button raise, despite the pot odds.

On the button, 8-7 offsuit is playable as an opening hand. A 2.5 big blind raise gives me a chance to win the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

KJo is strong enough to 3-bet against a button open in this short-handed configuration. Raising also denies the big blind an easy entry and puts pressure on the opener.

42 offsuit is too weak to continue against a raise and a three-bet, especially with the original raiser still to act. Folding avoids committing another 800 chips with poor equity and playability.

87 offsuit is too weak to defend against a large out-of-position three-bet, even with position.

KQs is a strong button opening hand with good playability and blocker value. I raise to build the pot and pressure the blinds.

75 offsuit is too weak to defend against a 2.5bb button raise from the small blind. Poor equity realization out of position and the big blind still to act make folding preferable.

J6 offsuit is too weak to defend out of position against a 2.5 big-blind raise.

64 offsuit is too weak for a standard button open against two opponents at 100bb depth. Without evidence that the blinds overfold, folding is preferable to limping or raising.

A-Q suited is a strong heads-up hand, so I’m raising for value from the small blind.

9-4 offsuit is too weak to defend against a small-blind raise, particularly out of position.

J8 suited is a profitable button open three-handed, and a 2.5 big blind raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

Calling from the small blind with A5 suited is a profitable defense versus the button's small open, with strong nut-flush and wheel-straight potential.

42 offsuit is too weak to defend against a raise and a call, even with favorable pot odds. Its poor equity realization and lack of useful blockers make both calling and squeezing unattractive.

With only ace-high on a paired, coordinated board and the preflop raiser behind me, checking preserves equity and avoids bloating the pot with a weak bluff candidate.

Trip eights are strong on this draw-heavy board. A 400-chip bet gets value from nines and draws while charging them to continue.

I call with the nut-club flush draw and ace-high equity, getting a reasonable price against a single flop bet.

Check to realize equity with the nut-club draw and gutshot while avoiding inflating a paired-board pot out of position.

Trip eights with a jack kicker can get value from weaker made hands and draws. Betting 950 also charges straight and flush draws on this connected turn.

I have only a flush draw and a gutshot, and the turn bet gives insufficient immediate pot odds with uncertain implied odds on this paired, coordinated board.

6-high suited with a poor kicker is too weak to profitably enter from the button at these stack depths.

Completing the small blind costs only 50 into a 150-chip pot. With only the big blind remaining, 7-5 offsuit has enough equity and straight potential to justify a cheap entry without inflating the pot out of position.

8-5 offsuit is too weak to raise for value. Checking takes a free flop with position on the small blind.

A half-pot bet gets thin value from weaker pairs and draws while denying equity to overcards. Top pair is strong enough to bet against the big blind’s wide checking range, but not strong enough to build a large pot.

I have an open-ended straight draw and position. Calling the small flop bet gives me a good price without inflating the pot on a paired board.

Our sevens retain showdown value, but the ace makes another value bet thin against the flop calling range. Checking controls the pot and keeps weaker hands in.

I have an open-ended straight draw and can take a free card. Betting risks a check-raise on a paired board where an opponent holding an ace or six is unlikely to fold.

Our two pair has showdown value, but a bet is unlikely to get called by worse after the ace and king arrive. Checking keeps the pot small and gives missed straight draws a chance to bluff.

My eight-high hand has little showdown value. The opponent checked both the turn and river, so I’ll bluff to try to fold out a weak pair.

Our sevens and sixes are only a bluff-catcher after both overcards arrive, and calling this overbet requires about 35% equity. Holding a five also blocks some missed straight draws, making a fold preferable without evidence of frequent bluffing.