Hold'em table

Q8o on the button 3-handed is a standard open; a 2.5bb raise steals the blinds often and plays well in position.

A3 offsuit is a reasonable blocker-based 3-bet bluff against a button open, and raising from the small blind avoids a difficult multiway out-of-position call. I choose a sizable raise to pressure the opener and the big blind.

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

Q8o is well behind a small-blind 3-bet range, and although I'd have position, calling 650 into 1250 isn't profitable with a dominated offsuit hand.

T3 offsuit is too weak to open from the button, and limping would invite the blinds to realize equity cheaply.

Ace-queen offsuit is strong heads-up against the big blind, so I raise for value rather than limp out of position.

Getting 2.8:1 in position against a wide small-blind raise, so 75o is a profitable defend as a call; 3-betting it has little value.

This connected flop favors the big blind's calling range, and my ace-queen has only overcards. Checking avoids building a pot without a made hand.

Bottom pair plus a gutshot on a connected board after the preflop raiser checks; a mid-sized bet gets value and protection and folds out overcards while keeping equity if called.

A-Q high has little equity or useful backdoor potential on this connected flop. Against the bet, folding is better than continuing out of position.

A3 suited is strong enough to open on the button. A 2.5 big-blind raise applies pressure while keeping the pot manageable.

Q9o from the small blind facing a 2.5x button open, with the big blind still to act, is a weak holding out of position; folding is standard.

Calling 150 into a 400-chip pot gives a favorable price, and 9-7 offsuit has enough playability to defend the big blind against a button open. I’ll avoid inflating the pot with a marginal hand.

With middle pair and a weak kicker on an ace-high flop, checking out of position keeps the pot controlled and protects my checking range.

Top pair is worth a small value bet on this dry flop. The sizing can get called by weaker pairs while keeping the pot manageable with a weak kicker.

Middle pair with a weak kicker has enough showdown value to call the small flop bet, but raising risks isolating against better hands.

I have a modest pair with a weak kicker on a board that favors the preflop raiser. I’ll take the free card rather than build the pot.

With top pair but a weak kicker, checking back controls the pot and keeps weaker hands in for the river.

I have two pair and can get called by weaker one-pair hands, so I’ll make a small value bet. The checked-through turn makes a large bet unnecessary.

Top pair is strong enough to call this small river bet, especially after checking back the turn. Raising would likely get called by better hands and fold out weaker ones.

K2o is a standard button open in 3-handed play since only the two blinds remain to act. A 2.5bb open applies fold equity against them.

88 is strong against a button open in a three-handed game. A 3-bet from the small blind builds value and makes it harder for the big blind to enter cheaply.

A2 offsuit is too weak to call this large three-bet, especially with the button still to act.

K2o is too weak to continue against a 3-bet from the small blind, even with position; the pot odds don't justify calling with a dominated hand.

T9 suited is a strong hand to open from the button three-handed. A raise to 250 puts pressure on the blinds while keeping the pot manageable.

Five-deuce suited is too weak to defend from the small blind against a button raise with the big blind still to act.

K9o in the big blind against a button 2.5x open is getting 150 to win 400 (about 27% equity needed), so it's a clear defend. Calling works better than 3-betting because the hand plays fine postflop and doesn't gain much from a 3-bet.

K9 with a backdoor flush draw on a paired board is out of position against the preflop raiser, so I check. I plan to continue against a small c-bet.

A small continuation bet can fold out unpaired hands while keeping the pot manageable. I have a gutshot and backdoor flush equity if called.

Getting about 4:1 against a small c-bet, K-high with an overcard, a backdoor flush draw, and backdoor straight potential is a clear call in position-less defense.

We hold only a weak flush draw with no pair on a paired board where the ace likely helps the preflop raiser. Checking lets us realize our equity cheaply and keep the pot controlled.

The ace is a favorable scare card for my preflop-raising range, and a modest turn bet can pressure hands that called the flop without committing too much with no showdown value.

I have a club flush draw and need about 22% equity to call; roughly 18% from the flush, plus implied odds and a few king outs, makes this a reasonable call against a small bet.

King-high missed the draw and has little showdown value, but a bluff is unlikely to fold out the aces and sevens this small-betting opponent likely holds. So I'll check and give up to a bet.

With only ten-high, checking has little showdown value. A sizable river bet can pressure missed club draws and weaker bluff-catchers after my turn barrel, though I’ll fold to a raise if action returns to me.

I only have king-high with no pair and no made draw, so I can't beat a value bet. A check-raise bluff after passively calling every street is not credible enough to be worth the risk.

J-T suited is a strong button opening hand three-handed. A 2.5 big blind raise builds the pot while retaining position.

Q2o from the small blind facing a button open with the big blind behind is a clear fold; it plays poorly out of position.

K-high offsuit is weak, but as the big blind I’m getting a favorable price heads-up against a button open. I’ll defend by calling rather than inflating the pot with a 3-bet.

I have two pair on a dry board, but as the out-of-position preflop caller I can check and let the button continuation-bet weaker hands before choosing how to proceed.

The king-high flop favors my preflop raising range. A small continuation bet can win the pot now while keeping the risk modest with jack-high and backdoor draws.

I have top two pair on a dry board and should build the pot against weaker kings and other hands that can continue. A raise to 540 gives draws and overcards a poor price without committing too much of my stack.

J-T has only weak backdoor draws on this flop. Facing a check-raise, calling 360 chips is unlikely to be profitable.