Hold'em table

On the button in a three-handed game, K3 offsuit is strong enough to open. A 2.5-big-blind raise puts pressure on the blinds without committing much of the stack.

J♣2♣ is too weak to continue from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

AQo is well ahead of a wide 3-handed button opening range, so I'm 3-betting for value to about 4.2x and taking the initiative out of position.

K3 offsuit is too weak to defend against this large three-bet, even in position.

6♠3♦ is a very weak offsuit hand, and calling 100 or raising into both blinds is not worthwhile from the button here.

AJs is a strong hand in a blind-vs-blind spot, so a standard 3x raise from the small blind builds the pot with a hand that is ahead of the big blind's range.

A4 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind against a small-blind raise, and calling keeps weaker hands in the pot.

AJ with two overcards, a gutshot to the nut straight (Q) and a backdoor flush draw, playing out of position on a dry-ish board. A small c-bet of about a third pot keeps the range advantage and has good equity when called.

The small flop bet gives me a reasonable price to continue with ace-high and some backdoor straight potential. I can reassess on the turn.

The turn brought no help: I have only ace-high, and my backdoor club draw is dead. Out of position against a player who called the flop, I'll check to control the pot and keep my showdown value.

The small flop bet followed by a turn check suggests weakness. A turn bet can fold out stronger unpaired hands, and the gutshot gives me a little equity when called.

With ace-high and no real draw, facing a turn bet from a player who called on the flop, our roughly 6 outs don't justify calling 650 into 1650. A bluff-raise also has little fold equity against this line.

J8o is a standard button open in 3-handed play; a small raise to 2.5bb puts pressure on the blinds.

A6 suited is strong enough to three-bet against a button open in a three-handed game. Raising to 1050 applies pressure and reduces the chance of playing a multiway pot out of position.

JTs suited has playability, but the large 3-bet makes this an expensive call, with the original raiser still to act. Folding avoids investing more against a range likely weighted toward strong hands.

J8o is too weak to continue against a small-blind 3-bet to 10.5bb; calling 8bb out of position isn't the issue, but the hand is dominated and plays poorly against this 3-bet range.

AJo is a strong button opening hand three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds builds the pot while keeping the sizing efficient.

J5 offsuit is too weak to continue against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act. Avoid putting in more chips out of position.

83o out of position is a trash hand with poor equity realization against a button open, so folding is at worst marginal and avoids a hard spot.

With 5-2 offsuit, this is too weak to open from the button profitably, so I fold rather than invest against the blinds.

A8o is a strong hand blind vs blind; raise to 3bb for value and initiative.

A4 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind against a small-blind raise. Calling keeps weaker hands in while avoiding a large pot with a marginal ace.

The dry K-high board favors my small-blind raising range, and A8 with backdoor spades has good equity against the big blind's calling range. A small c-bet of about a third of the pot folds out better hands like 55-99 and gets value from weaker ones.

Middle pair with an ace kicker is strong enough to continue against a small flop bet. Calling keeps weaker hands and bluffs in the pot.

Continuing as a semi-bluff: the ace plus a wheel gutshot gives good equity, and a second barrel pressures the BB's weaker calling range on a king-high board.

Bottom pair and a gutshot have insufficient equity against a typical second barrel, and calling risks facing another bet on the river.

In 3-handed play the button opening range is wide, and K2o is a profitable steal against the two blinds. A 2.5bb open keeps the risk small.

9-4 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a button raise, with the big blind still to act. Folding preserves chips.

QJo is a reasonable big-blind defend against a button open, and calling keeps the pot manageable with a playable hand.

QJ has little showdown value on an ace-high paired flop and no meaningful draw. Check and see how the preflop raiser responds.

On a dry A55 board we have range advantage as the preflop raiser, so a small c-bet with king-high (backdoor equity plus some fold equity) is profitable against the BB's check.

The small bet offers favorable pot odds, and Q-J high retains some showdown value against the button’s bluffs plus overcard outs against weaker pairs. Calling is preferable to turning that equity into a bluff raise.

I have only queen-high with a gutshot to a king, and the ace-high board favors the preflop raiser. I’ll check rather than risk a turn bluff into a likely ace or stronger made hand.

The big blind called the flop c-bet on an A55 board, so their range is heavy on aces and fives that won't fold to a second barrel. King-high has a little showdown value and some pair outs, so I'll take the free river.

My hand only plays the board, so betting has little value and risks being called or raised by a full house or better. Checking keeps the pot controlled and can secure a split against weaker holdings.

The board plays for us (tens and fives with an ace kicker), so we chop at best. The villain's check-call range contains many hands that beat the board, like any ace, ten, five or pocket pair, so a bluff rarely folds anything better. Check and take the likely split.