Hold'em table

On the button in a three-handed game, 7♠5♦ is playable as a wide opening hand. Raise rather than limp to apply pressure and take initiative.

AKs from the small blind facing a button open is a clear 3-bet for value. Going to 10bb sizes it for out-of-position play with the big blind still behind.

7-3 offsuit is too weak to defend against a large three-bet, especially with the original raiser still to act.

7♠5♦ is a weak offsuit hand with poor playability against the small blind’s substantial 3-bet. Calling 7.5 big blinds or reraising is not worthwhile.

T8 suited is a standard button open in 3-handed play, so I'm raising to 2.5bb to take the initiative against the two blinds.

A3 offsuit blocks strong ace hands and is a reasonable three-bet against a button open. Raising also puts pressure on the big blind rather than inviting a multiway pot out of position.

4♥6♦ is a weak offsuit hand and faces a large three-bet with 850 chips to call. Fold rather than continue out of position against strong ranges.

T8s in position with 100bb stacks has good playability against a small-blind 3-bet, and we need only about 35% equity to call. Calling is preferable to folding or 4-bet bluffing.

A small continuation bet can fold out weaker pocket pairs and unpaired hands. The ace of hearts also gives me a backdoor nut-flush possibility if called.

The small c-bet only requires about 23% equity. Middle pair beats the SB's AK and A-high bluffs, and it has some improvement potential, so calling is better than folding. Raising would only fold out worse hands.

I have only a gutshot to Broadway and little showdown value. Checking avoids committing more chips against the flop caller while preserving the chance to hit a jack on the river.

Middle pair with no draw on a coordinated board facing a 3-bettor. Checking back controls the pot and keeps some showdown value; betting would mostly get called by better hands and fold out worse ones.

Ace-high has some showdown value against missed draws. On this connected river, a bluff is unlikely to fold out a jack and may also be called by pairs.

Our pair of tens has some showdown value against the few bluffs in the 3-bettor's range. Bluffing is unlikely to fold out the many Kx, Qx and overpairs that check this runout, so we take the free showdown.

J7 offsuit is playable as a button open in three-handed hold'em. A small raise pressures the blinds while preserving position postflop.

Offsuit 8-7 is a marginal defend from the small blind against a button open, especially with the big blind still to act. Folding avoids playing a weak hand out of position.

Getting 4:1 against a wide 3-handed button open with the big blind; 53o has enough equity and playability to defend at this price.

I have an open-ended straight draw with a backdoor flush draw, out of position against the preflop raiser. Checking keeps my range protected and lets me check-raise if he c-bets.

J-high has little immediate equity on this low, two-heart flop. Checking back avoids building a pot when many of the big blind’s continuing hands have us beat.

I have an open-ended straight draw (an ace or six makes the straight), and the button's flop check-back shows weakness. A turn lead works as a semi-bluff: it can take the pot now and builds a bigger pot for when I hit.

Jack-high has no meaningful draw on this turn, and calling the bet is unlikely to be profitable.

As the button in a three-handed game, 9-7 offsuit is a reasonable open. A modest raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

72o from the small blind facing a button raise, with the big blind still to act, is a clear fold.

T7 offsuit has enough equity to defend the big blind against a button minish raise at this price, though it is too weak to reraise.

With ten-high and a gutshot on a paired, two-spade flop, I prefer to check out of position rather than build the pot.

Bet small as the preflop raiser, using my open-ended straight draw to apply pressure and build the pot when I improve.

The small flop bet gives me a reasonable price to continue with a gutshot straight draw and some additional ways to improve.

My trips have weak kickers on a paired board, so I prefer to check rather than build the pot out of position.

I have a gutshot to a straight but little showdown value, and checking takes a free river while preserving my equity. A turn bluff is unlikely to fold many hands that called the flop raise.

My ten-high kickers rarely win at showdown against a preflop raiser. After the opponent checked the turn, a river bet can fold out better unpaired hands.

My 9-7 makes a nine-high straight, which is strong enough to call at these pot odds. A full house or quads are possible, but the river bet can also come from bluffs or weaker hands.

KQs on the button in 3-handed play is a strong open. I'm raising to 2.5bb for value and to take the initiative.

Pocket threes can profitably call a small button raise at this stack depth, with the chance to make a set. A large reraise would risk too much with a hand that has little blocker value.

The call is only 150 into a 600-chip pot, giving strong pot odds. Q6 offsuit is weak, but the price is sufficient to defend the big blind.

My low pocket pair is weak on this three-way, monotone flop. Checking avoids building a pot out of position.

Bottom pair with a weak kicker on a monotone, connected flop is not strong enough to bet into multiple opponents. Check and reassess if someone bets.

The board is monotone and I hold no diamond. Three-way, a stab rarely folds out better hands, so I'll take the free card with my overcards and gutshot.

With an underpair and no diamond on a four-diamond board, I have little value to bet and a bluff is unlikely to work against two opponents.

With only a weak pair and no diamond on a four-diamond board, betting has little value and risks running into a flush. I’ll take the free river.

With four diamonds on board and no diamond in my hand, I only have king-high and a gutshot. Any opponent holding a diamond will call, so bluffing into two players is poor, and checking gives me a free river.

Pocket threes have little showdown value on this four-diamond board, but a bluff into two opponents is unlikely to get enough folds. Checking avoids risking more chips.

I have a weak pair with showdown value, and the four-diamond board makes a bluff risky against multiple opponents. I’ll check and try to reach showdown cheaply.

King-high with no diamond has some showdown value after three checked streets. A bluff into two opponents on a four-flush board is unlikely to get enough folds, especially since we checked back the flop and turn.

K8 suited is a profitable button open three-handed. Raising to 2.5 big blinds applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

7♦5♥ is a weak offsuit hand, and calling out of position against a button raise is not worthwhile.

Getting about 2.7:1 against a wide button open, so J6o has enough equity to defend from the big blind. Calling beats 3-betting with this weak offsuit hand.

J6 with a gutshot (needs a K) out of position against the preflop raiser on a board that favors their range; checking keeps the pot small and lets me realize my equity.

A small continuation bet pressures the big blind's weaker hands on a board that favors my preflop raising range. The backdoor spade draw gives me some potential to improve if called.

J6 on Q-T-5 has only jack-high with backdoor straight potential and no real equity against a small c-bet range, so folding is best despite the good price.