Hold'em table

Five-four suited is a playable button open three-handed. A 2.5-big-blind raise gives me a chance to win the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

K2 offsuit from the small blind facing a 2.5bb button open, with the big blind still to act, is a clear fold. Calling would leave me out of position with a dominated hand.

J♦8♦ is playable heads-up from the big blind, and the price is favorable enough to defend. Calling keeps the pot manageable with a hand that can make strong draws.

I have only jack-high with no meaningful immediate draw on this paired flop, so checking keeps the pot small and avoids bluffing into the preflop raiser.

The paired, dry flop favors my preflop raising range. A small continuation bet can fold out unpaired hands while keeping the cost of a bluff low.

The small flop bet offers favorable pot odds, and J-high retains some showdown value plus backdoor straight and flush possibilities. I’ll call rather than raise this weak holding.

J-high has little showdown value and no meaningful draw on this paired board. Check and avoid building the pot after calling the flop bet.

The turn improved my hand, but it remains too weak to build a large pot against a flop caller. Checking in position keeps weaker hands in and lets me reassess on the river.

J-high has some showdown value against missed low-card holdings. A river bet is unlikely to fold out pairs and would mostly make better high-card hands fold, so I take the free showdown.

My pair of fives has showdown value, but a river bet is unlikely to get called by many worse hands. I'll check behind.

A9s on the button 3-handed is a clear open-raise; 2.5x puts pressure on the blinds.

T2 offsuit is too weak to call a button raise from the small blind, especially with the big blind still to act.

J9 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a button raise, especially with the small blind's chips already in the pot.

Middle pair with a modest kicker is worth continuing, but betting out of position risks building a larger pot against stronger hands. Checking keeps weaker hands in and lets me respond to the button's action.

On J-7-Q with two clubs I have a backdoor flush draw, a gutshot to the ten, and an overcard ace. That's a good small c-bet in position against the big blind's check, so I'll bet about a third of the pot.

Middle pair with a nine kicker is strong enough to continue against a small button continuation bet, but not strong enough to raise.

My jack is a modest showdown hand on the paired turn. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me assess the opponent’s next bet.

Ace-high with no draw has some showdown value against villain's missed draws, and villain's flop-calling range is heavy in Jx/Qx that won't fold to a barrel. Checking back takes a free card to spike an ace or nine.

My jack has showdown value, but a river bet is unlikely to get called often enough by worse hands. Checking also lets me evaluate a bet before committing more chips.

Ace-high has some showdown value against missed draws and would rarely fold out better pairs given the flop check-call, so I'm taking the free showdown.

J9 offsuit is a reasonable button open in a three-handed game. A 2.5bb raise applies pressure to the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

Q5 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still to act.

Getting about 3.7:1 against a wide 3-handed button open, 64o has enough equity and playability to defend the big blind by calling.

Middle pair with an open-ended straight draw (any 3) on a monotone board where we hold no diamond; the button's range hits this board well. Checking keeps the pot controlled and lets us realize equity, and we can decide versus a c-bet.

A small continuation bet applies pressure while giving my strong diamond draw a chance to win immediately or improve. The J♦ also blocks some of the opponent’s strongest flush draws.

Middle pair plus a gutshot to the 3 is getting about 4:1 against a small c-bet. Raising on a monotone board isn't attractive without a diamond, so calling is the better play.

Four diamonds are on board and I hold a weak pair of fours with a gutshot (a 3 makes a straight, but 3d also puts four diamonds out). The best line is to check and see a cheap card or showdown.

I have a strong jack-high flush and can get value from lower diamond holdings with a modest bet. Keeping it small limits the cost if the opponent has one of the few higher flushes.

The price is good: 300 to win 1510 means I need about 20% equity. My pair of fours with a straight draw likely has close to that against a small-bet range that includes air and small pairs, even though any diamond beats me.

Bottom pair on a four-diamond board has little showdown value and makes a poor bluff, since we hold no diamond blocker. Checking keeps the pot small and lets us decide against any river bet.

My J-high flush is strong enough to seek a small river value bet, while keeping the size modest on a four-diamond board where higher flushes are possible.

Bottom pair with no diamond on a four-flush board beats only pure air, and villain's steady barreling range is full of flushes and better pairs. Even at about 19% equity needed, this hand is too far down my range to call.

K8 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed. A 2.5 big blind raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

24s from the small blind facing a button open with the big blind still to act is a clear fold; out of position with weak equity.

Calling is the standard defense with a small pocket pair: the price is reasonable, and the deep stacks give me room to win a large pot when I hit a set.

With a small pair on a Q-high flop, I have little reason to build the pot and can take a free chance to improve or reach showdown.

K-high has some showdown value, but this dry flop gives K8 little incentive to build the pot. Checking keeps weaker hands in and lets me see the turn for free.

Pocket threes are a weak showdown hand on this Q-K-high board, and betting is unlikely to fold out better hands. I’ll take the free card and preserve the chance to reach showdown cheaply.

Top pair is likely ahead of many hands that checked twice. A moderate bet gets value from queens and draws while protecting against a free river card.

The turn bet is substantial, and pocket threes are far behind the board and likely betting range. With only two likely improvement outs, the pot odds do not justify calling.

K7 suited is a clear open from the button in 3-handed play, so I'm raising to 2.5bb to take the initiative against the two blinds.

A♦8♦ is a playable suited ace against a button open, and calling keeps weaker hands in while avoiding an oversized pot out of position. I’ll defend and evaluate the flop, with the big blind still to act.

QJo has enough equity to defend the big blind for 150 chips against a button raise and small-blind call. Calling keeps the pot manageable with a hand that can be dominated if I squeeze.

This three-way monotone flop is unfavorable for A♦8♦, which has no club and little equity to improve. I’ll take the free card rather than bluff into two opponents.

Top pair with a decent kicker has showdown value, but the monotone flop is risky in a three-way pot. Checking controls the pot and lets me assess the button's action.

Three-way pot on a monotone board with no club and only a king overcard, so betting has little fold equity and poor equity when called. Checking back takes a free card and keeps the pot small.

Check back with ace-high; the three-club flop and connected turn make a bluff into two opponents risky, while checking preserves some showdown value.

Top pair with an open-ended straight draw is strong enough to bet for value and protection after the flop checked through. A 400-chip bet can get calls from weaker pairs and draws without building an oversized pot on a three-club board.

A bare gutshot on a monotone-club board, with a player still to act behind, doesn't get the roughly 26% equity needed to call 400 into 1150. Folding.

I have only a gutshot straight draw and limited overcard outs, with no club to continue on this three-club board. The 400-chip call requires too much equity against a turn bet.

A7 offsuit is a solid button open in a three-handed game. Raise to 2.5 big blinds to take initiative while keeping the sizing modest.

A small pocket pair can profitably call a 2.5-big-blind button raise with deep stacks, especially if the big blind joins and improves the implied odds.

Getting 4:1 with a suited ace in the big blind multiway, calling is clearly profitable, and a squeeze with A6s is less attractive against a small blind who flatted and may be strong.

My small pocket pair is weak on this K-J flop against two opponents. Checking avoids building the pot out of position.

A6 with no diamonds offers little on K-J-3 in a three-way pot, with only ace overcard equity and a gutshot needing a Q-T. The button raiser will c-bet often, so checking keeps the pot small and lets me see his action.

With three players on a K-J-high board, A-high has some showdown value and backdoor flush potential but no immediate draw. I’ll take the free card rather than bluff into two opponents.

Pocket fours have little showdown value on this turn, but a bluff into two opponents on a connected board is unlikely to work often enough. Checking avoids investing more in a weak hand.

Ace-high with no draw keeps some showdown value in a three-way pot. Betting into two players with no equity when called is thin, so I'll check and see the river cheaply.

With only ace-high and no strong draw, a bet is unlikely to get called by worse or fold out enough better hands. Check and retain the chance to win at showdown.

Pocket fours have some showdown value, but a river bluff into two opponents is unlikely to be profitable. I’ll check and see what they do.

Ace-high has some showdown value in a pot that was checked through three-handed. A bluff into two opponents is unlikely to get enough folds, so I'll take the free showdown.

I have only a weak pair of sevens, so a river bet is unlikely to get called by worse hands. Checking takes my showdown value without risking chips.