Hold'em table

ATo on the button 3-handed is a clear open-raise; 2.5bb is a standard sizing.

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

K6 offsuit is a reasonable big-blind defend against a button open, and calling offers favorable pot odds while avoiding a marginal 3-bet.

I have only king-high with a backdoor heart draw, so I’ll check out of position and avoid building the pot without a made hand.

On a dry-ish J72 two-tone board heads up in position, a small c-bet with ace high, a gutshot and a backdoor flush draw has good fold equity and plenty of equity when called.

I have a king overcard and a backdoor flush draw, giving enough potential equity to continue against this small flop bet. I’ll call rather than raise with a marginal hand.

The ace favors the preflop raiser, and my king-high hand has no showdown value, though I retain a heart draw. I’ll check and respond to any bet rather than lead into their range.

The ace gave me top pair with a ten kicker. The big blind check-called the flop and checked again, so his range is capped with lots of Jx, 7x and heart draws, and a bet of about two-thirds pot gets value and charges the draws.

K-high has no pair or meaningful draw, and the turn bet represents a strong range on the ace. Calling would require too much equity against this line.

Eight-seven suited is a playable button hand three-handed. Opening to 2.5 big blinds applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

2-3 offsuit is a very weak hand from the small blind, and calling a raise risks playing out of position with the big blind still to act.

AQo is well ahead of a 3-handed button opening range, so 3-betting for value out of position is preferred over flatting.

87 suited plays well in position against a big blind three-bet, and the 650-chip call is reasonable with deep stacks and no rake.

Top pair with a good kicker on an ace-high board as the preflop 3-bettor; a small c-bet gets value from Kx, weaker Ax, and club draws while keeping the pot controlled.

I have no pair, no flush draw, and only a remote backdoor straight possibility. This ace-king flop favors the preflop reraiser, so calling is unlikely to be profitable.

On the button in a three-handed pot, K-high is strong enough to open. A modest raise applies pressure to the blinds while keeping the pot manageable with a weak kicker.

44 in the small blind against a button open in 3-handed play is a reasonable 3-bet candidate; flatting out of position with the big blind still to act is awkward. A 3-bet to 10bb applies pressure and denies the BB a cheap entry.

Q2 offsuit is too weak to defend against a large preflop raise, especially with the original raiser still to act.

K♦2♥ is a weak offsuit hand and the small blind’s large 3-bet makes calling unprofitable. Fold and preserve the remaining stack.

On the button 3-handed, 53s is a reasonable open-raise with two players left to act; a small 2.5bb open steals often and plays well postflop.

Ace-king is strong enough to three-bet against a button open. Raising from the small blind also pressures the big blind and avoids a multiway pot out of position.

A5 suited has an ace blocker, but the small blind made a very large 3-bet after the button opened, and the button still has action. Calling out of position or 4-betting into this strength is not worth the risk.

53s facing a large SB 3-bet to 11bb is getting only moderate odds, and the low SPR after calling limits implied odds. Folding is the disciplined play.

K4 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button in a three-handed game, and a 2.5-big-blind raise uses positional advantage without risking too much.

A8 suited is strong enough to continue against a modest button raise, and calling preserves a favorable price while avoiding a large out-of-position pot with a dominated ace.

KQo in the BB facing a button open and an SB flat, getting 150 to win 600, is a clear call; squeezing risks running into the SB's trapping range and bloating the pot out of position. Calling keeps both players' weaker hands in and gives good pot odds.

I have middle pair with a strong kicker, but this is a multiway pot and I’m out of position. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me respond to action.

KQ high with a gutshot on a connected 9-8-4 board in a 3-way pot, with the preflop raiser still to act. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me realize my equity; I can decide after seeing the button's action.

Bottom pair is too weak to bet for value into two opponents. Checking in position keeps the pot manageable and lets me reassess on the turn.

With a modest pair and ace kicker in a multiway pot, checking keeps the pot small and avoids building it against stronger 9x or Qx hands. I can still reach showdown cheaply and potentially improve on the river.

Top pair with a king kicker on a board that checked through the flop is likely best, so bet about two-thirds pot for value and protection against straight and flush draws.

Bottom pair is too weak to call a two-thirds-pot turn bet with another player still to act. Even if I improve, my hand may not be best.

The turn bet comes on a queen that improves the big blind’s calling range, and my pair of eights is behind most of his value bets, including Qx and 9x. I fold rather than pay a substantial price hoping he is bluffing.

9-3 offsuit is too weak to continue from the button facing the big blind; folding avoids putting more chips into a poor spot.

KJs is a strong hand when the button folds and it's us in the small blind against the big blind. Raising to 3x takes the initiative and builds value.

K6 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind against a small-blind raise, and I’ll have position after the flop.

Small c-bet with overcards and a backdoor club draw; the low board favors BB's calling range somewhat, so I keep the sizing small at about a third of the pot.

Top pair with a strong kicker is worth continuing against a small flop bet. Calling keeps weaker hands in without inflating the pot on a draw-heavy board.

King-high with no draw on a low, paired board that hits the big blind's calling range well. After the flop call, a second barrel is unlikely to fold out enough hands, so I check and keep the pot small.

Top pair with a king kicker can get value from weaker pairs and draws. A half-pot bet also charges draws to see the river.

King-high with only about 6 non-clean outs, facing a 500 bet into 1000. That needs 25% equity, and this low, paired board favours the big blind's calling range, so a fold is clearly correct.