Hold'em table

ATo is well within the standard button opening range in 3-handed play; raising to 2.5bb for value and position.

5-3 offsuit is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

K6 offsuit is weak; facing a 2.5x button raise, I'd be out of position with a hand that plays poorly. Getting 400 to 150 (about 2.7:1) is not enough, since I'd often be dominated and out of position postflop.

Eight-seven suited is a playable button hand three-handed. Raising to 250 applies pressure to the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

2-3 offsuit is the weakest hand, out of position against a button raise with the big blind still to act behind. Folding costs only the 50 chip small blind.

AQo is well ahead of a button opening range 3-handed; 3-betting to 10bb for value out of position.

87 suited has enough playability to call this three-bet in position with deep stacks and no rake.

I flopped top pair second kicker on an Ace-King high board that heavily favors my 3-betting range, so a small continuation bet of roughly one-third pot extracts value and denies equity.

Eight-seven has no pair or immediate draw on this ace-high flop, and the big blind's preflop three-bet suggests a strong range. Calling 650 with only a remote backdoor straight draw is unlikely to be profitable.

K2 offsuit is a weak hand, so I fold on the button. Calling 100 would leave me out of position postflop against two opponents with a hand that plays poorly, and a raise is not worth the risk.

In a blind-versus-blind scenario after the button folds, pocket fours has solid equity and should be raised for value and initiative.

The small blind can raise a wide range here. Q2 offsuit is marginal, but getting 2-to-1 with position makes a call reasonable.

Holding an underpair out of position on a coordinated, high-card board with flop Ts Js 6h, checking is standard to control pot size and realize showdown cheaply.

I have little immediate equity on this connected, two-spade flop, and a bluff is unlikely to fold out many better hands. I'll take the free card in position.

I have a weak pocket pair on a paired board with overcards; checking to realize equity or see river cheaply.

Queen-high has little value and few ways to improve on this paired board. Checking avoids building a pot with a weak hand.

We hold two pair (tens and fours), which beats unimproved ace-high hands. Betting will not get called by worse or fold out better consistently, so checking to see a free showdown is optimal.

After three checks, a small river bet can get called by jacks and weaker pairs. The sizing limits the loss when the queen is beaten.

Holding just pocket fours on a Ts-Js-6h-Tc-Qs board, hero only beats pure bluffs. With numerous straights, pairs, and better bluff catchers in range, this is a clear fold to the river bet.

53s is slightly too weak to open profitably even from the button in 3-handed play.

Ace-king offsuit is a strong heads-up hand, so I raise for value from the small blind.

A5s in the big blind is a comfortable call against a small blind open to 3.5bb in a 3-handed game. I get 450+250 pot odds and have position on no one, but the hand plays well. A 3-bet would also be reasonable, but calling keeps the pot manageable.

Top pair with top kicker is strong against the big blind's calling range. A small continuation bet gets value from weaker pairs while keeping the pot manageable.

The nut flush draw plus an ace overcard gives good equity, and calling 250 into a 950 pot is a cheap price. Calling keeps the pot small and avoids folding out worse hands.

Top pair with top kicker can get value from weaker kings, jacks, and draws. Betting 700 also charges hands with straight outs.

Ace-high with a backdoor nut-flush-less draw (only a gutshot to a ten-Q straight... actually 5s As gives just a weak nut-less hand) faces a 700 bet into 1900 after the opponent bet flop and turn; needing about 27% equity, ace-high with few outs is not enough, so fold.

K4 offsuit is strong enough to open on the button three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds puts pressure on the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

A8s in the small blind is a decent hand in 3-handed play, and calling 200 more into a 400 pot (getting good odds) is reasonable against a button open. With the big blind still to act and me out of position, I prefer calling to a bloated 3-bet.

Getting 4-to-1 pot odds closing the action with King-Queen offsuit makes calling the standard and profitable play.

I have middle pair with an ace kicker and a backdoor flush draw, and I act first in a three-way pot on a wet board. A bet of about 2/3 pot builds value and protects against overcards and draws.

I hold King-Queen high with no direct draw on an eight-nine board facing a lead bet and with the preflop raiser still behind me.

Bottom pair has limited ways to improve, and a sizable bet into three players suggests a range that often has me beat. Calling is unlikely to realize enough equity to be profitable.

3-9 offsuit is a weak hand, even on the button in a 3-handed game. Calling 100 out of position after the blinds is not profitable enough, so I fold and wait for a better spot.

King-Jack suited is well ahead of an average blind-versus-blind range, so raising to 3bb builds the pot and applies pressure.

K6 offsuit is strong enough to defend the big blind against a small-blind raise, and I’ll have position after the flop.

On a low, connected board that hits the big blind's defending range hard, checking two overcards out of position is standard.

Middle pair with a strong kicker benefits from value and protection on this draw-heavy flop. A half-pot bet can get calls from draws and weaker hands.

I have two overcards and a backdoor flush draw on a low, connected board that heavily favors the big blind's calling range, making a fold clear facing a half-pot bet.