Hold'em table

3d7h is a weak offsuit hand with poor playability; folding avoids investing chips out of position against two blinds in a 3-handed pot.

K-Q suited is strong heads-up against the big blind, so I’m raising for value rather than limping.

Defending Jh Tc from the big blind against a standard small blind raise getting 2 to 1 in position.

As the preflop raiser, I can make a small continuation bet on this dry paired flop. K-Q has two overcards and backdoor flush potential if called.

I hold top pair with a decent kicker on a paired board and have position. Calling the small continuation bet is standard to keep their bluffing range wide.

The turn is a blank, and K-high has little value in building the pot after the flop bet was called. Checking keeps the pot manageable and preserves the chance to improve on the river.

We have top pair with a mediocre kicker on a paired board. Checking behind controls the pot size and preserves showdown value in position.

King-high has some showdown value against missed draws. Betting is unlikely to fold out many stronger hands on this board.

We have Fives full of Jacks, which beats any pocket pair below Jacks (66-TT) that also made a full house. Betting a small size extracts value from those pocket pairs.

The small river bet requires about 21% equity to call. KQ beats many unpaired hands that could bet after the turn checked through, so calling is preferable to folding or bluff-raising.

J7 suited is strong enough to open on the button in a three-handed game. A 2.5-big-blind raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

A5 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a button raise, making it an easy fold from the small blind.

Getting 150 to call into a 400 pot, I only need about 27% equity, and 5h4c has enough equity against a button open to defend despite being out of position.

I have no pair or strong draw on a coordinated A-Q-J flop and am out of position; checking keeps the pot small and avoids putting chips in with a weak hand.

Bottom pair has some showdown value, but this coordinated flop favors stronger hands and draws. Checking back controls the pot and preserves the option to respond on the turn.

I have no pair or meaningful draw on a coordinated board, and the pot is small, so checking keeps the pot controlled and avoids risking chips with a weak hand.

I have a weak pair of jacks on a board that connects well with the big blind’s range. Checking in position controls the pot and lets me reassess on the river.

I have bottom pair on a coordinated board and both opponents have shown passivity, but many better pairs and straights are possible. Checking controls the pot and avoids bluffing into a hand that can call or raise.

My pair of jacks has showdown value, but a river bet is unlikely to get called often enough by worse hands.

Pocket eights on the button is a standard opening hand; raising to 2.5bb to build the pot in position.

T6o is a weak offsuit hand facing a button raise, and calling 200 more out of position is not profitable.

32 offsuit is too weak to defend against a button raise, even with the big blind already posted.

On the button in a 3-handed game, 4d3d has enough suited-connector potential to open aggressively and apply pressure on the blinds. Raising to 300 keeps initiative and gives me position postflop.

A2 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

Q7o plays poorly out of position facing a 3x open from the button, making it a standard fold.

On the button, 7-6 offsuit is playable as a small open with position against the blinds.

Folding 43o from the small blind facing a button open.

Getting 3:1 pot odds with a hand that has decent equity against a button raise; calling to see a flop cheaply.

I have middle pair with a weak kicker on a K-high flop and am first to act; checking controls the pot and avoids building a large pot against the preflop raiser.

This connected flop favors the big blind's calling range, and my hand has little immediate showdown value. Checking back lets me realize my gutshot equity without investing more chips.

I have middle pair on a dry-ish turn after the preflop raiser checked the flop; betting 300 can take the pot and charge draws.

I have only a gutshot straight draw and little showdown value. Calling 300 into an 800-chip pot is not justified by those outs.

Ten-deuce offsuit is too weak to open even from the button. Folding is standard.

Q4o is weak but has enough equity against a random big blind to complete for 50 into 150, and calling keeps the pot small out of position.

Pocket sevens are strong against a small-blind limp. Raising for value also makes it harder for overcards to see a cheap flop.

Qd4c is a weak offsuit hand facing a 4x raise with only one opponent left; folding avoids playing a dominated hand out of position.