Hold'em table

Button open with a small raise to steal the blinds; Q6o is weak but position and fold equity make it a profitable 3-handed play.

J8o is too weak to call or 3-bet from the small blind against a button open out of position.

8-5 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a button raise, and the price is not attractive enough to defend.

73o is well outside any reasonable button opening range in 3-handed play.

Completing costs 50 chips, and 8-6 offsuit has enough potential heads-up to see a flop without building a large pot out of position.

With A4o out of position against a single limper, checking keeps the pot small and lets me evaluate the flop rather than bloating the pot with a weak ace.

With bottom pair and few immediate draws, I prefer to check rather than build the pot out of position.

I have A-high with backdoor club equity and position; a half-pot stab can fold out SB's air and weaker draws, and I can shut down if called.

Bottom pair has enough showdown value to call a small flop bet, especially after the big blind checked preflop.

I have a weak pair with little chance to improve, so I’ll check rather than build the pot out of position.

I have a marginal bottom pair with A kicker on a wet board; checking turn controls the pot and avoids bloating with a mediocre hand.

Bottom pair has some showdown value, but an ace on the river makes a value bet unlikely to be called by worse. Checking avoids risking more chips against stronger hands.

I have two pair (aces and fours) on the river and opponent has shown no strength, so I will bet for value and target calls from weaker aces or jacks.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker is unlikely to beat a river value bet on this ace-high board. The 300-chip call needs to win often enough that folding is preferable.

A8 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed. A 2.5-big-blind raise pressures the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

4s2s is the weakest starting hand and I'm out of position facing a 2.5bb button raise with the big blind still to act. Folding is clearly best.

J4o is far too weak to defend out of position against a 2.5bb button open.

J9s on the button is a strong enough 3-handed hand to raise and take the initiative. A 3bb raise pressures the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

43 offsuit is far too weak to defend out of position against a 3x open.

A7 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button raise, and calling keeps the pot manageable out of position.

Ace-high has limited value on this flop, and checking keeps the pot small while preserving the option to respond to a bet.

I have top pair with a decent kicker on a somewhat coordinated board. Betting for value and protection is best, especially after the big blind checked to me in position.

A-high with little immediate draw equity is too weak to call a 450-chip bet out of position.

Opening on the button in 3-handed play with J9o to steal the blinds and take positional advantage.

The suited nine-seven plays well enough against a button open to defend at this price, while a three-bet would build a large pot out of position.

AKs is a premium 3-handed hand; after a button open and small blind flat, I raise to squeeze, isolate, and build the pot with strong equity.

J9o is not strong enough to continue against a large 3-bet squeeze from the big blind.

Calling the large squeeze with 9♦7♦ would leave me out of position with a marginal hand. The price and postflop prospects do not justify continuing.

J2 suited is a marginal but playable button open three-handed. A 2.5 big blind raise gives me a chance to win the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

32o is the worst starting hand and is dominated by a button raise; calling 200 out of position with the big blind still to act is not profitable.

Folding Q2o from the big blind against a button open as it is too weak to defend out of position.