Hold'em table

Q8 offsuit is a reasonable button open in a three-handed game. Raising to 2.5 big blinds applies pressure to both blinds while keeping the sizing modest.

AJo is strong enough to three-bet against a button open, especially from the small blind where calling leaves me out of position.

T6o facing a raise and a 3-bet from the small blind is a clear fold; it has poor equity against a strong range and the button can still act behind.

Q8 offsuit is too weak to continue against a substantial small-blind 3-bet, even with position. Fold and preserve the stack.

Q7 offsuit is strong enough to open from the button three-handed. A 2.5-big-blind raise uses position without overcommitting.

Q6o from the small blind facing a button open is a clear fold, since calling out of position with the big blind still to act is unprofitable.

A♠? A♥T♦ is strong enough to defend the big blind against a button open, and calling keeps weaker hands in while avoiding an unnecessary large pot out of position.

Ace-high has some showdown value but no made hand or strong draw, so checking keeps the pot small and lets the preflop raiser act.

The dry king-high flop favors my preflop raising range. A small continuation bet can win the pot when the big blind missed.

A-high with a backdoor heart draw has enough equity and showdown value to continue against this small flop bet. Raising would overplay a hand that has not connected with the board.

With ace-high and no meaningful draw, checking keeps the pot small and preserves showdown value. The opponent called my flop check-raise? [sic: flop bet]—a turn bluff is unlikely to be worthwhile.

Queen-high has little equity when called, and this turn is unlikely to make many flop callers fold. Checking takes the free river card.

I have only a medium-strength pair, and the river completes the club draw while improving some of the opponent’s holdings. Checking preserves showdown value without risking a thin value bet that is likely to be called mainly by better hands.

Queen-high has little showdown value. After the turn and river checks, a river bet can fold out some weak pairs and ace-high hands.

The river completes a possible club flush, and the line of checking the turn then betting into the river strongly represents a king or completed draw. A pair of tens is unlikely to meet the roughly 29% equity needed to call.

Q6o on the button in 3-handed play is a standard open-raise, since the wide steal range profits against the two blinds. A 2.5x size keeps it cheap.

7♥6♥ is a playable suited connector against a button open, and calling gets a reasonable price while avoiding an out-of-position 3-bet with a marginal hand.

6-2 offsuit plays poorly out of position against a raise and a call, despite the favorable immediate pot odds.

I have no pair or immediate straight draw, only a backdoor flush possibility. With no bet to call, checking keeps the pot small and lets me see the turn.

Top pair with a weak kicker on a very connected broadway board plays poorly against check-raises and gets called mostly by better hands, so I'll check back for pot control and realize equity in position.

I have only a weak pair on a connected board, so checking keeps the pot small and avoids building it against stronger hands.

Top and bottom two pair is well ahead of a range that has checked twice, but this board is draw-heavy. A two-thirds pot bet gets value from queens, jacks and draws while charging them to see the river.

A single pair of sixes with a weak kicker has little showdown value on this coordinated board, and I have no meaningful draw. The turn bet requires too much equity to justify calling.

T2 suited is weak, but the button’s positional advantage makes it a reasonable open in a three-handed game. A small raise applies pressure to the blinds while keeping the risk controlled.

Nine-eight offsuit is too weak to call from the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still to act.

Getting 150 to win 400 with a pocket pair in the big blind against a button open, calling is profitable for set mining and some showdown value with 100bb stacks.

Pocket deuces on a K-J-8 two-tone board is weak and plays poorly out of position against a button opener's range, so I'm checking and will likely give up to a bet.

I have no made hand or meaningful immediate draw on a king-high board, so I’ll take the free card rather than bluff with little equity.

Pocket 2s on a K-J-8-4 board have some showdown value but are weak. Checking keeps the pot small, and the flop check-back suggests the button often holds a medium or weak hand, so I'll take a free card.

I have only ten-high, but checking keeps the pot small and gives me a free chance to hit a nine for a straight on the river.

Bottom set on the river after the button checked back twice, so their range is weighted toward medium pairs and Jx that can call. A bet of about two-thirds pot gets value from those hands.

I have only ten-high with no meaningful draw on the river. Calling would require a bluff often enough, and the opponent's river bet after two checks is not a good spot to continue.

T4 offsuit is a weak button opening hand at 100 big blinds, with poor playability when called.

Q7s is a solid blind-vs-blind hand; raising to 3x from the small blind puts pressure on the big blind and takes the initiative.

The 3:1 pot odds and the small blind’s wide opening range make defending worthwhile, despite the weak offsuit hand and positional disadvantage.

Qh7h gives a flush draw with an overcard on a K-high board, and as the preflop raiser out of position a small c-bet works well: it can win the pot right away and keeps our equity if called.

T♣2♦ has no pair, no flush draw, and only remote runner-runner straight potential on this board. Folding avoids paying into a bet with very little equity.

J5 suited on the button in 3-handed play is a reasonable steal hand; a small open to 2.5bb puts pressure on both blinds.

T-2 offsuit is a very weak hand from the small blind, and calling a raise with the big blind still to act is unprofitable.

Q5 offsuit is a marginal but reasonable big-blind defend against a button open. Calling costs 150 into a 400-chip pot.

I have top pair with a weak kicker out of position. Checking controls the pot and lets me evaluate the button’s action.

On a Q92 two-tone board I have a gutshot (a K gives me the straight) plus a backdoor spade draw, and as the in-position preflop raiser I have a range advantage. A small c-bet of about a third of the pot takes it down often and keeps my equity when called.

Top pair is strong enough to continue against a small flop bet, but the weak kicker makes raising unattractive.

I have top pair with a weak kicker and am out of position. Checking keeps the pot manageable and lets me assess a bet before committing more chips.

J-high with almost no equity against a range that called the flop wide; barreling into the many 9x/Qx and draws is unlikely to get enough folds, so I'll take the free card.

Top and bottom two pair is strong after the turn checked through. A moderate river bet can get called by weaker queens and nines.

Getting about 27% pot odds. Villain's check-call, check, then river lead leaves plenty of missed club draws and air that our pair of fives beats, so a bluff-catch is reasonable.