Hold'em table

In a 3-handed game the button opens a wide range, and J5o sits at the edge of it. A small 2.5bb steal attacks the blinds cheaply.

Seven-deuce offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

8-high offsuit is too weak to defend against a button open at this sizing, especially out of position.

K3 offsuit is a marginal but playable button open in a three-handed, rake-free game. A small raise uses position while limiting the cost when called.

7-2 offsuit is far too weak to continue from the small blind against an open raise.

Facing a small button open with the SB folded, I only need about 25% equity. 83o has roughly 30%+ against a wide stealing range, so defending by calling is marginally profitable.

83o with no pair and no diamond has only a gutshot to a 5 on a monotone ace-high board that heavily favors the button's raising range. Checking to the raiser is best, and I can fold to a bet.

A small continuation bet can fold out weaker holdings and deny equity on this ace-high flop, while limiting the cost when called.

8-high with no diamond, no pair and no real draw on a monotone ace-high board that favors the preflop raiser. Even though the bet is small, this hand is not worth calling or bluffing.

Q3 offsuit is a weak button holding and is not worth entering with at these stack depths.

A7o is a strong hand in a blind-vs-blind spot after the button folds, so I'm raising to 3bb for value and initiative rather than limping."}

JTs plays well against a small-blind opening range, and calling keeps weaker hands in while letting me play in position postflop.

Bottom pair on a very connected 987 board that favors the big blind's calling range; out of position, checking controls the pot and keeps weaker hands in.

I have the nut straight on a connected, two-heart flop. A 450-chip bet builds the pot while charging draws and weaker made hands.

Bottom pair with an ace overcard and a backdoor heart draw is getting 30% pot odds against a BB range full of draws and weaker hands. Calling is better than folding, and raising would only get called by hands that have us beat.

We only have bottom pair and a weak 7-high flush draw on a very coordinated board with straights and flushes possible. Checking controls the pot and lets us realize equity.

I have a J-high straight. Betting for value charges heart draws and weaker made hands while keeping the pot manageable against a possible QJ.

Bottom pair with a weak 7-high flush draw on a very coordinated board. Our draws are mostly dominated, so we lack the ~30% equity needed to call a sizable turn bet.

J8o on the button in 3-handed play is a standard open, so I'm raising to 2.5bb to steal the blinds with position.

Nine-four offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

K8 suited has sufficient equity and playability to defend the big blind against a button min-raise-plus sizing. Calling preserves weaker hands in the opponent's range without inflating the pot.

I have an eight-out open-ended straight draw on a board that strongly favors the preflop raiser. Checking preserves flexibility to continue versus a reasonable bet or apply pressure with a check-raise.

Middle pair with a gutshot on a very connected board that hits the big blind's calling range hard. Checking back keeps the pot small, lets me realize my equity, and avoids a check-raise.

I have the current nut straight on a coordinated board and should value-bet while charging heart draws and getting paid by strong pairs, two pair, and sets.

Middle pair plus a gutshot to a straight, facing a less-than-half-pot turn lead; our equity comfortably justifies calling at about 30% pot odds, while raising would fold out worse hands.

I have the king-high straight on a highly connected board and can value bet against lower straights and bluff-catchers. A moderate sizing targets calls while limiting exposure to the rare Broadway straight.

I have a queen-high straight, which beats everything except a king-high straight. Against a small river lead, a modest value raise gets called by sets, two pair and some worse made hands while limiting my loss to a king.

We have a king-high straight and are getting favorable pot odds. Calling captures value against bluffs and worse value raises while avoiding an unnecessarily large raise into likely Broadway straights.

Pocket tens are a strong three-handed button hand. Raising to 250 builds the pot while keeping weaker hands in.

J4 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button open, especially with the big blind still behind.

J2s in the big blind against a 2.5x button open gets good pot odds (150 to win 550), and it is a standard defend in 3-handed play. It has suited playability and position doesn't matter enough here to make folding correct.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker, out of position against the button raiser on a Q-high two-tone board; checking to control the pot is the standard play here.

Pocket tens can get value from nines and draws while charging overcards to continue. A small bet limits the cost when the big blind has a queen.

Bottom pair with a backdoor diamond draw is getting 750:200 odds against a small c-bet, so it is an easy defend. The button's range has many overcard hands that missed, and calling keeps the pot controlled.

Two pair on a paired board plays as weak bottom pair, and the Jd adds a backdoor diamond draw. The spade-heavy board is bad for us, so check to control the pot and realize equity, then consider calling a small bet.

TT has showdown value, but the paired, three-spade board makes a turn bet unlikely to get called by many worse hands. Checking controls the pot and lets me evaluate the river.

The board is double-paired, so I am effectively playing Queens and Nines with a Jack kicker. That has some showdown value against a range that checked back the turn, but a bet would only get called by better hands, so I'll check.

My tens have showdown value, but a bet is unlikely to get called often enough by worse hands on this double-paired board.

K9 suited is a strong enough button opening hand in three-handed play. A 3bb raise applies pressure and builds a pot with position.

J3 offsuit from the small blind is too weak to continue against a button open to 3bb, especially with the big blind still left to act.

A4 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a button open at this price, but it is not strong enough to value-raise.

I have ace-high with no immediate draw on a coordinated flop and am out of position against the preflop raiser. Checking avoids building a pot with a weak hand.

Betting top pair for value and protection on this coordinated board, while charging diamond draws and straight draws.

Ace-four has little connection to this coordinated flop and no diamond. Calling a 400-chip bet out of position is unlikely to be profitable.