Hold'em table

4h8d offsuit is a weak hand, and calling from the button out of position in the betting order against two blinds has negative expected value compared with folding.

In a blind-versus-blind situation, open-raising with pocket fives puts pressure on the big blind and builds the pot with a hand that plays well with initiative.

K6 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a small-blind raise to 300. Calling keeps weaker hands in without inflating the pot.

We have an underpair out of position on a wet board; checking to control the pot size and see how opponent reacts is optimal.

King-high has some showdown value, but little incentive to build a pot on this connected, two-club flop. I can use position to reassess on the turn.

On a very wet board with four to a straight and three clubs, our pocket fives have minimal equity and no redraws, making checking the clearest play.

The preflop raiser has checked twice, and this turn favors the big blind's calling range. A 400-chip bet can fold out stronger high-card hands while I retain a gutshot straight draw.

Holding an underpair with no club on a highly coordinated four-straight, three-flush turn board, folding to opponent's bet is standard.

Nine-seven offsuit is too weak to open even from the button in three-handed play.

A3 offsuit is strong enough to raise heads-up against the big blind. Raising to 3 big blinds applies pressure and builds the pot when I likely have the best hand.

9s3s is a weak offsuit-ish hand; facing a 3x raise from the small blind, calling 200 more out of position with a poor hand is marginal. Pot odds are 2:1 but the hand plays badly, so I fold.

64 offsuit is too weak to open profitably from the button without information suggesting the blinds fold unusually often.

Ah5d is a strong hand heads-up against the big blind after the button folded. Raising to 3bb from the small blind builds the pot and takes the initiative.

Defending the big blind with J8s against a small blind open, benefiting from position and strong postflop playability.

Ace-high with a backdoor flush draw on a paired 8-8-3 board; I was the preflop raiser and act first heads-up, so a small continuation bet of half the pot takes the pot often and denies equity to hands with overcards.

Flopped trips with Jh8h on 8c 8d 3d; calling keeps the villain's continuation betting range wide and retains position.

Ace-high with a weak kicker on a paired board has little showdown value, but the opponent called two streets. I'll check to control the pot size rather than bluff into a caller who may hold a pair or a draw.

I have trip eights with a solid kicker, and after the opponent checked the turn, I bet two-thirds of the pot for value against pocket pairs, ten-x, and flush draws.

Ace-high with a weak 5 on an 8-8-3-T board is a bluff-catcher at best. Calling 800 into a pot of 2000 needs about 29% equity, and villain's turn raise after calling the flop likely means a pair or better, so I fold.

AJo on the button in a 3-handed game is a strong hand, so I raise to 3bb for value and position against the two blinds.

54o is too weak to call or 3-bet from the small blind facing a 3x button open.

QTo is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button open, and calling avoids inflating the pot out of position.

Top two pair is strong on this relatively dry flop. Checking gives the preflop raiser a chance to bet, allowing me to build the pot with a check-raise.

I have top-ish pair? No: Ace-high with a gutshot (J-T-Q needs K or 9 for straight) and two overcard outs to the Q... Betting small as a semi-bluff in position after the big blind checks, with a gutshot plus Ace-high equity, folds out weaker hands and builds the pot when ahead.

Top two pair is strong against a button opener's betting range. Raising builds value against queens, overpairs, and straight draws.

Ace-high with a gutshot (K needed for broadway) and backdoor potential; facing a check-raise, pot odds are about 2300+950 to 950 (~3.4:1), so calling is reasonable, and raising would only get called by better hands. Calling keeps the price cheap with ~8 outs plus overcard outs. Folding is too tight given the odds.

The king completes several straight draws and improves some hands that called the flop check-raise. Checking controls the pot with two pair while leaving room for the opponent to bet worse hands.

I have the nut straight (A-K-Q-J-T) on the turn. Villain check-raised the flop and then checked the turn, so he likely holds a strong hand such as a set or two pair. Betting about half the pot should get value from those hands and from draws.

Top and middle pair are strong enough to continue, but the king completes several straight draws and improves hands that beat us. Calling keeps weaker hands in without building a larger pot against a strong range.

Two pair can get called by one-pair hands such as AK, AQ, or AA. A modest river bet seeks value without committing the rest of my stack against a stronger hand.

I have ace-high with a Broadway straight (A-K-Q-J-T): Jd, Ah with board Qs Tc Ks gives A-K-Q-J-T, the nut straight. Calling is safe, and a raise could also work, but calling keeps it simple and captures value against the bluffs and worse hands in the villain's range.

Ten-six offsuit is too weak to open on the button even 3-handed, making fold the standard play.

Pocket nines are strong heads-up against the big blind. Raising for value is better than completing the small blind.

A8o is a decent hand in a 3-handed pot against a small-blind raise to 3.5bb. Calling 250 more from the big blind gets a good price (pot odds about belts 450+250), and I keep position considerations simple without inflating the pot out of position.”,

A small bet with pocket nines can get value from weaker pairs and overcards while limiting the pot against a jack.

Ace-high on a paired J-J-2 board with an ace kicker. The bet of 225 into 700 is small, so calling is priced well, and it keeps in bluffs while avoiding a big raise against a possible Jx hand.

The queen weakens my pocket nines, but they still have showdown value. Checking controls the pot and avoids turning them into a bluff.

Ace-high on a paired Jd-Jc board with a Qc turn (flush draw possible) is weak against an opponent who bet the flop and then checked. Checking keeps the pot small and avoids getting raised off the hand, while still leaving showdown value with the ace kicker.

Pocket nines have showdown value, but worse hands are unlikely to call a river bet often enough to justify value betting.

Board is J J Q 8 2 and I hold A8 for two pair, jacks and eights, with an ace kicker. Seat_3 flop-bet, then checked the turn and river, so their range is weak or capped. A small value bet of about 45% of the pot should get called by worse jacks, queens and eights, so betting beats checking.

The river bet offers a price that needs about 23% equity. My nines beat missed draws, overcards, and some weaker pairs often enough to call.

Q9 suited is a strong button open three-handed, and a 2.5 big blind raise uses position while keeping the pot manageable.

T7 offsuit is weak from the small blind facing a button raise to 250 with the big blind still to act. Calling 200 more out of position with a hand that plays poorly is a losing play, so I fold.

KTo has sufficient equity and favorable pot odds closing the action in the big blind against a button open.

Top pair mediocre kicker is a standard check out of position to the preflop aggressor to control the pot and call standard c-bets.

A small continuation bet pressures the big blind's unpaired hands on a king-high flop. I also have an overcard and backdoor straight and flush possibilities.

I flopped top pair with a decent kicker and face a small 1/3-pot c-bet, making a call standard to keep villain's bluffs and worse hands in.

I have second-nut pair with a gutshot straight draw, so checking out of position to control the pot size is standard.

With a gutshot and queen high, I can take the free card in position rather than build the pot against a flop caller.

I have top pair with a moderate kicker on a coordinated board. Checking allows me to reach showdown cheaply or catch bluffs without value-owning myself against stronger hands.

Queen-high has little showdown value. A river bet can fold out weak pairs, and the nine blocks some possible straights.

Holding top pair on a board where many draws missed, getting better than 3 to 1 pot odds against a polarized river bet after the turn checked through.