Hold'em table

On the button in a three-handed game, 9-6 offsuit is playable as a small open. Raising gives me a chance to win the blinds while retaining position if called.

Pocket jacks are a strong 3-handed holding and benefit from a value 3-bet to isolate the button opener and deny equity.

T7o facing an open and a 3-bet from the small blind is far too weak to continue, and the original raiser is still left to act behind me.

Nine-six offsuit is too weak to continue against a sizable three-bet, even in position.

On the button in a three-handed game, J4 suited is worth opening at a small size to leverage position and initiative.

Against a button min-raise, calling 150 into a 350 pot gives good pot odds, and 98o plays reasonably well in a three-handed game. A 3-bet is possible, but a flat call keeps the pot manageable.

Calling 100 into a 500-chip pot gives 9-7 offsuit sufficient odds to see a flop, though I will proceed cautiously out of position.

I have 9-high with only a gutshot to a Queen and no clubs, out of position in a three-way pot on a monotone board. Checking and giving up if there's action is best.

I have no pair or club on a three-club flop, and the preflop raiser has yet to act. Checking avoids putting more chips into a weak multiway hand.

Both opponents checked to the preflop raiser, creating a good opportunity for a small continuation bet. The bet can fold out unpaired hands while retaining some straight-runout potential if called.

98 offsuit with no club, no pair, and no real straight draw on a monotone K-T-3 board. The pot odds don't justify continuing, especially with the big blind still left to act behind me.

Nine-high with no club and no meaningful straight draw has very little equity on this monotone flop. Calling the bet out of position is unlikely to be profitable.

52o is among the weakest hands, even from the button in 3-handed play, and stealing with it isn't profitable enough against two blinds at 100bb deep.

With the button folded, calling 50 more gives me good pot odds against the big blind. I can see a flop without building a large pot with a weak hand.

Check the big blind with K-high against a single limper; raising is unnecessary with this marginal hand.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker on a monotone flop has some showdown value but is too vulnerable to build a pot out of position. Checking keeps the pot small and lets me evaluate the big blind's action.

I have a made flush with strong straight-flush redraw potential on this coordinated board. A moderate value bet charges single-diamond hands and draws while retaining weaker continuing hands.

Middle pair and a flush draw provide enough equity to call 150 into this pot, though the low diamond makes raising unattractive.

My low pair and weak flush draw have some showdown value, but not enough to bet for value on this board.

Betting top pair for value and protection against straight draws and single-diamond hands. The opponent's turn check caps much of their range.

The 300-chip bet gives reasonable odds to continue with a pair and a diamond flush draw, though the low diamond makes the draw vulnerable.

Bottom two pair has showdown value, but the completed flush and several possible straights make a river value bet risky. Checking also leaves room for the opponent to bluff.

My eight-high flush is strong enough to value bet against made straights, smaller flushes, and occasional bluff-catchers. I can fold if faced with a large river raise representing a higher diamond.

Rivered two pair is strong enough to call this small bet. The price is favorable, and the big blind can have weaker value hands or missed draws.

Pocket fours are worth opening on the button. A 2.5-big-blind raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

76 offsuit has poor realization from the small blind against a button open with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids defending a marginal offsuit hand out of position.

Getting about 3.7:1 in the big blind against a wide button open, J6o is a standard defend and plays well enough in position-less spots with a decent price.

Out of position with J-high and a weak backdoor spade draw on a paired board that favors the preflop raiser, so checking is standard. I can decide whether to defend against a c-bet once I see its size.

A small bet protects my pair against overcards while keeping the pot manageable on a board that also connects with the big blind's range.

Facing a small c-bet of about a quarter of the pot, I'm getting good odds (about 21% equity needed). J-high with backdoor flush and straight draws is a reasonable defend on this dry paired board.

With J-high on a paired, trip-deuce board I have little showdown value and no real draw. Checking is the cheapest way to realize whatever equity I have against the preflop raiser's range.

My full house beats unpaired hands, but a five or a higher pocket pair has me beat. Checking keeps the pot manageable against the big blind's flop-calling range.

Jack-high has almost no showdown value against a range that checked back the turn, and that range is capped and weak. A bet of roughly two-thirds pot represents a queen and can make ace-high, king-high and small pairs fold.

My pocket fours make a full house on this board. The river lead can include missed draws after the turn checked through, so I’ll call rather than raise into stronger full houses.

Pocket fives are a strong button opening hand three-handed and benefit from taking initiative. A 3bb open is an efficient standard raise.

76o from the small blind facing a 3x button open with the big blind still to act is too weak to call out of position, and it isn't a good 3-bet bluff candidate. Folding is standard here.

Q9 offsuit has enough equity against a button opening range to defend the big blind for 200 more, especially with the small blind's dead money in the pot.

With queen-high and a gutshot straight draw on a paired flop, I prefer to check to the preflop raiser rather than build the pot out of position.

With a medium pocket pair on a paired board, checking back controls the pot and preserves showdown value. A bet is unlikely to get better hands to fold reliably.

The turn blank favors a delayed bet after the flop checked through. Q9 can fold out some ace-high hands and has a gutshot if called.

The turn bet is modest relative to the pot, and pocket fives retain showdown value against missed overcards and draws. Calling preserves that value rather than turning a marginal hand into a bluff.

Queen-high has little showdown value against the opponent's likely ace-high and pocket-pair hands. A river bet can represent a ten or an eight and may fold out better unpaired hands.

We hold a rivered full house and should value-raise against trip tens and other strong bluff-catchers. A moderate raise is more likely to be called than a shove while retaining value.

I have only queen-high, and the large river raise after calling the turn makes a bluff-raise unlikely to succeed.

KQo on the button in a 3-handed game is a strong opening hand, so I'm raising to 2.5bb to take the initiative and get value.

J5 suited is too weak to defend from the small blind against this raise, especially with the big blind still to act.

Pocket eights are well ahead of a button min-raise range heads-up. I 3-bet for value and to deny overcard equity.

KQo on the button facing a BB 3-bet to 8.5bb; calling in position is profitable given 600 to call into a 1150 pot. Folding is too tight and 4-betting would turn the hand into a bluff.

Check this vulnerable overpair on a coordinated low board, preserving flexibility against the preflop caller's strong connected range.

KQ has no pair and no draw on a low two-tone board, and the 3-bettor's range holds many overpairs. Checking back in position realizes our overcard equity cheaply and avoids getting check-raised off our hand.

Betting the turn with an overpair protects against overcards and draws while still getting value from worse pairs and straight/flush draws.

King-high with no draw, facing a turn bet in a 3-bet pot. Villain's range is heavy with overpairs, and our six overcard outs don't justify calling 700 into 2450.