Hold'em table

A4 offsuit is a reasonable button open three-handed, with position and an ace blocker supporting a steal. Raising to 2.5 big blinds pressures the blinds without committing too much with a marginal hand.

5-8 offsuit is a weak hand out of position against a button raise with the big blind still to act, so folding the small blind is the best choice.

Getting 2.67:1 pot odds with an ace, call to see a flop.

I have ace-high on a paired flop with no draw and no need to bloat the pot out of position; checking lets me see the turn and evaluate the opponent's action.

Ace-high has some showdown value on this dry, paired board, but little drawing potential. Checking back keeps the pot small and avoids a check-raise from the big blind's stronger hands.

I have two pair (aces and sevens) on the turn and the preflop raiser checked the flop, so I bet for value and protection against overcards or draws.

Top pair has enough showdown value to call this turn bet, especially against draws and stabs after the checked flop. Raising would mostly fold out weaker hands while building a pot against better aces or trips.

We hold Ah2c on AdAc7s7d5h, giving us Aces full of 7s. Bet for value; opponent likely has an Ace or 7 and may call with worse.

I have aces full of sevens, losing only to pocket sevens and tying other ace holdings. Raising extracts value from weaker full houses, particularly a seven, while leaving room for a call.

I have a full house (aces full of sevens) and only lose to quad 7s. Opponent's raise could be a worse full house, a chop, or a bluff, so calling is best to avoid losing a huge pot to 77.

Q3 suited is a weak hand out of position against two opponents' ranges; on the button it is marginal, and folding avoids a negative-EV spot with poor kicker and no 3-way fold equity.

Q9o has enough equity to call the small blind against a random big blind, but it is marginal and out of position, so I prefer keeping the pot small rather than raising.

T3 offsuit is too weak to raise for value against the small blind's limp. Checking takes a free flop and preserves chips with a marginal hand.

With Q-high and only a gutshot on a K-J-6 flop, I prefer to check and see a free turn rather than bluff into a BB who defended and can have many pairs.

I have no pair or immediate draw, making this a weak candidate for a flop bet. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me see the turn for free.

With Q9 on a K-J-6-2 board and no made hand, checking preserves chips and avoids building a pot with only a gutshot and weak high card.

The small blind has checked twice postflop, suggesting a weak range. With little showdown value, a three-quarter-pot bluff can profit by folding out better unpaired hands and some small pairs.

I have only queen-high with a gutshot and poor pot odds against a turn raise, so folding is the disciplined play.

On the button in a 3-handed pot, 56o has enough playability to raise rather than just call; a 3x raise applies pressure on the blinds and uses position to take initiative.

7-3 offsuit is too weak to defend against a 3bb raise from the small blind, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids investing more chips out of position with poor equity and playability.

Q8o in the big blind facing a 3x button raise: calling 200 more into a 450 pot gives about 2.25-to-1 pot odds (~31% needed) and closes the action. The button's range is wide, so Q8o has enough equity to defend. A 3-bet bluff with it is not attractive.}

Queen-high with a gutshot (Q-J-9-8 needs a 10 for a straight) on an ace-high board; I'm out of position against the preflop raiser, so checking to control the pot and see what happens is best.

We have 5-high with no draw on a dry board, so checking behind in position is best to see a free turn and avoid bloating the pot with air.

I have a gutshot straight draw (Q-8 on 9-A-J-7 needs a 10) and no made hand. The button checked back the flop, so their range is capped, but I have little showdown value and a bluff isn't clearly profitable, so I check.

I have only a gutshot with 5-6 on an ace-high board and no showdown value yet; checking back in position keeps the pot small and lets me see a free river.

Queen-high board 9-A-J-7-T gives me a straight (Q-J-T-9-8). I have Qd 8s: Q,J,T,9,8 is a straight. The button checked twice, so a value bet is best: bet around 400 to get called by weaker aces and jacks.}</br>

My 6-high has no showdown value, and the opponent has checked all three postflop streets, so a river bet can fold out missed draws and weak hands.

Qd8s makes a Q-J-T-9-8? Board is 9-A-J-7-T, so Q-J-T-9-8 gives a queen-high straight (8-9-T-J-Q). Strong hand beating most value hands except K-Q, so I call 500 into a 1150 pot, or even raise, but calling is safe and profitable.}

K5 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds applies pressure to the blinds while preserving positional advantage if called.

T4 offsuit is a weak hand, out of position against a button open with the big blind still to act. Calling 200 more is not worth it, so I fold.

Q6o is a weak offsuit hand facing a button raise, and calling 150 out of position with poor playability is not profitable enough. Folding preserves chips for better spots.

K2 offsuit is a weak hand in a 3-handed pot. Calling out of position against two blinds would lose value over time, so I fold the button here.

I only need to call 50 more into a pot of 150 with 3d5c, getting 3:1, and the button has already folded. Raising would risk too many chips with a weak, out-of-position hand, so completing the small blind is the best controlled way to see a flop.

K7 offsuit has reasonable showdown value but is too marginal to routinely inflate the pot against an unknown limping range. Checking takes a free flop while preserving positional advantage.

With bottom pair and a weak backdoor flush draw out of position, I prefer to check and keep the pot small rather than bet into a board that can easily connect with the big blind's range.

King-high has some showdown value, but little draw potential on this board. Checking preserves that value and avoids building a pot with a weak hand.

I have bottom pair with a weak kicker out of position on a coordinated board; checking controls the pot and avoids getting raised.

After two checks from the small blind, a turn bet can fold out ace-high and other unpaired hands. My gutshot and king overcard provide some equity when called.

Bottom pair with weak kicker on a coordinated board; facing a turn raise, my equity is likely below the required pot odds, so I fold.

Calling 100 with 76o on the button in a 3-handed game to see a cheap flop with position.

Completing costs only 50 into a 250-chip pot, making the price attractive for a suited hand. I can pursue strong draws cheaply while avoiding large investments with weak pairs.

J4 offsuit is a weak hand in a three-way pot. Checking the big blind option lets me see a free flop rather than inflate the pot out of position.

With six-high, no immediate draw, and two opponents on a coordinated flop, betting is unlikely to be profitable. Checking preserves chips and lets me reassess after their actions.

I have jack-high with a gutshot draw (4-x-7-8 needs a 5 or 6) on a wet board against two opponents, and the button still has to act. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me see a free card.

I have middle pair on a draw-heavy board and both opponents checked; betting for value and protection.

Six-high has no immediate straight or flush draw and very little equity against a bet into two opponents. Calling out of position with another player still to act is not profitable.

I have jack-high with 4c Jd on an 8h 3s 7s board, with no pair and only a weak backdoor draw. Calling 200 into a pot of 500 needs about 29% equity, and I'm likely well behind the button's bet with a weak hand, so I fold.