Hold'em table

J4o is too weak to open from the button for a full big blind, so folding preserves chips.

Holding pocket nines in the small blind after the button folds, raising for value is standard.

Calling 200 into a pot that will be 600 gives favorable pot odds, and the small blind can be raising a wide range heads-up.

Checking with a medium-strength made hand out of position controls pot size and protects our checking range on a paired board.

I have no pair or meaningful draw on this paired flop, so I’ll take the free card rather than bluff into the preflop raiser.

I hold second pair on a paired board after the flop checked through. Betting around half pot extracts value from lower pocket pairs and denies equity to unpaired overcards.

I have a small pair with useful showdown value, and the modest bet gives me favorable pot odds to continue.

99 has solid showdown value on a paired board where worse hands rarely call another bet and better hands won't fold, so checking to induce bluffs or see a cheap showdown is best.

I have a reasonable showdown hand, but the turn bet could represent a jack or an overpair, and worse hands are unlikely to call a river bet. I’ll take the free showdown.}

A8o is well within a standard 3-handed button opening range; raising to 2.5bb to build a pot in position.

7♠6♥ is too weak to defend out of position against a button raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

T2 offsuit is too weak to continue against a button open after the small blind folds, so folding preserves the stack.

QTo is a strong enough hand to open from the button; a modest raise applies pressure while keeping weaker hands in the pot.

A7o is dominated and out of position against a button open, with the big blind still to act, so folding is the higher-EV play.

Defending the big blind with suited connector Jd 6d against a button open, getting attractive pot odds to see a flop.

I hit top pair with a mediocre kicker out of position, making check-call the standard line against the preflop aggressor.

A small continuation bet can fold out hands that missed while keeping the risk modest; I still have two overcards and some backdoor straight potential.

We flopped top pair on a dry board and face a small continuation bet of 200 into 550, making a call standard.

I have top pair with a weak kicker on a coordinated board, so checking to the preflop and flop aggressor to control the pot is standard.

I have an open-ended straight draw with eight potential outs, so checking behind takes a free river card while preserving my equity. A turn bet risks being called or raised on a board that has become more connected.

With second pair and a very connected board showing four to a straight and three clubs, betting has no value. Checking to see a cheap showdown is optimal.

I have a queen-high straight and can value-bet into the checked-through river. A 650-chip bet targets calls from weaker made hands while keeping the sizing moderate against a possible king-high straight.

The board has a four-to-a-straight and three clubs, rendering a weak top pair of Jacks with no flush blocker into a pure bluff catcher against a range that connects heavily with this runout.

T9o is a standard button open in three-handed play; raising to 2.5bb takes the initiative rather than limping.

97 offsuit is too weak to call or 3-bet out of position against a button raise.

J7 offsuit is a reasonable big-blind defend heads-up against a button raise, and the call is only 150 more into a 400-chip pot. I’ll avoid inflating the pot with a marginal hand.

I have no pair or meaningful draw on this ace-high board, so I’ll take the free card rather than bluff into the preflop raiser.

Nine-ten missed this ace-high flop completely and has no draw, so checking back is better than bluffing into a caller who can easily have an ace.

I have no made hand and only weak river improvement possibilities. Checking avoids investing into the preflop raiser’s likely stronger range.

Nine-ten has no pair, no draw, and little fold equity against a BB who called a raise on an ace-high board. Checking keeps the pot small and takes a free river.

After two checks, a river bet can pressure the opponent’s unpaired hands; the third spade also makes a flush a credible holding. My J-high has little showdown value, so I’ll make a modest bluff rather than check.

I have only second pair on an ace-high board, and the BB’s delayed half-pot river bet is weighted toward ace-value hands, so I am not getting the bluff frequency needed to call.

85 offsuit is too weak to open from the button even in 3-handed play.

Calling the additional 50 gives a reasonable price in a blind-versus-blind pot; 9-6 offsuit is too weak to raise for value.

Heads-up with A8o against a completed small blind, a small raise builds the pot and takes the initiative with a decent ace.

9♠6♥ is a weak offsuit hand, and calling a sizable raise out of position would be unprofitable. I fold.

J6 offsuit is marginal, but on the button it has positional advantage and can profitably open against the blinds. I’ll use a modest raise size.

2-6 offsuit is too weak to continue against a button open, so folding is the clear choice.

K9s easily has enough pot odds and playability to defend against a standard button open.

Check to the preflop aggressor out of position on a dry Queen-high board with King-high and backdoor potential.

I have a modest pair with a reasonable kicker, but betting risks building the pot against stronger Qx and offers little need for protection on this dry board. I’ll take the free card and preserve showdown value.

I have King-high with minimal equity and no draw on this turn, so checking to see a free river is standard.

My pair of sixes with a jack kicker has some showdown value, but it is too weak for a confident value bet. Checking avoids inflating the pot and lets me see the river.

We rivered second pair with a king kicker on a board that checked down through turn. Checking to realize our showdown value or evaluate facing a river bet.

With only a pair of sixes on a connected board, a value bet is unlikely to be called by worse often enough. I’ll take the showdown after the checks on earlier streets.