Hold'em table

K4 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button in a three-handed game. Raising gives me a chance to win the blinds and keeps the initiative in position.

J8s from the small blind facing a 2.5x button open, with the big blind still to act, is a marginal hand that will be out of position, so folding is the standard play. A 3-bet bluff is possible, but folding is lower variance.

K8 suited is a profitable blind defense against a button 2.5bb open, especially heads-up after the small blind folds. Calling preserves its suited and connected postflop potential without inflating the pot out of position.

With weak showdown value and a backdoor/flush draw, checking to the preflop raiser is the standard low-risk line.

On this dry ace-high flop, a small continuation bet can fold out unpaired hands while risking relatively little.

The small continuation bet offers a favorable price, and K8 retains some showdown value plus backdoor spade potential against a wide heads-up c-bet range.

Top pair with a weak kicker has limited thin-value prospects on this ace-king board, since stronger aces and kings dominate many continuing hands. Checking keeps the pot controlled and preserves showdown value.

Second pair has showdown value, but a turn bet is unlikely to get enough calls from worse hands. Checking in position controls the pot and leaves room to respond to the river.

We have a reasonable king for value after the turn checks through. A modest river bet can be called by weaker kings and some bluff-catchers while limiting losses versus stronger aces or kings.

Second pair is strong enough to bluff-catch against this small river bet, especially after the turn checked through. My 4 also blocks some 3-4 straights.

On the button in 3-handed play, 86o is a standard opening hand, so I'll steal with a small raise to 2.5bb.

A suited ace is worth defending from the small blind against a small button open, especially three-handed. Calling keeps weaker aces and dominated hands in the opener's range.

Calling 150 into a 600-chip pot gives K4o a reasonable price against a button open and small-blind call. I’ll proceed cautiously with weak one-pair hands.

With only an ace-high gutshot in a multiway pot on this connected board, I will check and avoid inflating the pot without a made hand.

I have an open-ended straight draw, but in a three-way pot I prefer to check and see what the button does.

Top pair with a gutshot plus backdoor draws on a low, connected board, checked to me in position; a half-pot c-bet gets value and protection against overcards.

I have a made straight on this coordinated board and should raise for value and protection against sets, overpairs, and draws. A substantial raise also discourages the big blind from realizing equity cheaply.

I have an open-ended straight draw and enough stack depth to justify calling, especially if the raiser pays off a completed straight. I’ll reassess on the turn, since the button can still act.

Weak top pair facing a check-raise and a cold call on a coordinated 3-5-6 board is likely behind sets, straights and overpairs, and I have poor reverse implied odds, so the 20% price isn't enough.

The ace gives us top pair plus a gutshot to the wheel, but the flop call against our check-raise contains many made straights. Checking controls the pot and lets us realize our equity.

I have an open-ended straight draw, but the flop check-raiser can still have a strong hand. Checking takes the free card and preserves my chance to improve.

Our ace is a strong river value hand after the turn checked through. A moderate bet can be called by weaker aces and pairs while limiting exposure to stronger made hands.

King-high missed its straight draw and has little showdown value against a flop check-raise and river bet. A bluff-raise is unlikely to be profitable here.

On the button, J7 suited is a reasonable steal candidate against two blinds. A small open keeps the risk controlled while applying pressure.

A5 offsuit blocks strong ace holdings and is a reasonable three-bet against a button open. Raising also avoids playing a weak offsuit hand out of position in a multiway pot.

J9o facing an open and a small-blind 3-bet to 10bb, with the opener still to act behind, is a clear fold: it is dominated too often and plays poorly out of position in a potentially multiway pot.

J7 offsuit is too weak to continue against a 10bb three-bet with the big blind already folded.

J-2 offsuit is too weak to open profitably without information that the blinds fold often.

A9o is a strong hand blind vs blind after the button folds, so I'm raising to 3x for value and initiative.

7-4 offsuit is too weak to defend against a small-blind raise heads-up, especially out of position.

T8o on the button in 3-handed play is a standard open; a 2.5x raise lets me steal the blinds with position.

K4 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still behind.

Eight-deuce suited is a weak hand to defend out of position against a 2.5 big-blind raise.

J4 offsuit is a weak button holding and not worth entering with at these stack depths.

QJo is strong enough to raise against the big blind after the button folds, despite being out of position.

BB vs SB open to 3bb: getting 200 to win 600 (25% equity needed), and K7o has sufficient equity against a wide SB range while holding position postflop. Calling is better than folding or 3-betting.

Top pair with a jack kicker is strong enough to bet for value and protection on a board with possible straight and flush draws.

The Kd gives me a king-high flush draw plus an overcard, and I only need to call 400 into a 1000 pot. With deep stacks, the implied odds make calling better than folding, and calling keeps the pot controlled compared to raising.

The king is a poor turn card for my second pair, and a bet risks getting called by better hands. Checking keeps weaker hands in while preserving the option to respond to a bet.

Top pair on a draw-heavy board after the preflop raiser checked the turn; a half-pot bet gets value from Qx and draws and denies equity, while keeping the pot manageable with a weak kicker.

Second pair and a gutshot have enough equity to call this turn bet, but raising would risk too much against stronger hands.

Two pair can get value from single-pair hands. A modest river bet also limits my exposure when an opponent holds a ten for the straight.

Top pair with a weak kicker is getting about 4.5:1 on a small river bet. Villain's range still includes missed diamond draws and weaker pairs, so calling beats the 18% required equity.